A Place In Time
by astheblackrosewilts
Summary: Crosover with Harry Potter. When Treize and Zechs appear during a quidditch game there's confusion as to who Harry and Draco really are. 1Hx6x13, 3x4D, 2x5.
1. Chapter 1

**AN** This is a Harry is Heero, Quatre is Draco crossover, probably a bit complicated but bare with me please

**Rating**: PG13 – to be safe

**Summary**: Xover with Gundam Wing. When Treize and Zechs appear from the sky during a Quidditch game there's mass confusion in Hogwarts, especially since both Harry and Draco are swearing blind they saw them die a month ago. A Harry is Heero, Quatre is Draco fic, 1x6x13, 3x4x3, 2x5x2, RxD.

**Disclaimer**:

Don't own,

Want to,

Not mine though,

So don't sue – Lame I know

**A Place**** In Time**

_So long ago, another life_

_I can feel your heartbeat_

_It's not a dream, remember us_

_I can see it in your eyes_

_We'll find our place in time_

_A place in time beyond the sun_

_We'll find our place in time_

_A place in time to call our own_

A Place In Time – Amanda Abizaid

**Chapter 1**

Despite the cheers from the Quidditch stands as the two seekers hurtled after the snitch everyone heard the roar of engines and saw the two… robots…? Plunge towards the ground.

It appeared that this was one of the few things that could shock Albus Dumbledore, this became evident as he shot to his feet, mouth open in shock as the Gryffindor and Slytherin seekers exchanged glances before turning and tearing towards the two suits. Harry's arm shooting out to grab the snitch as he tore past it before throwing it to the blonde next to him who caught it without even looking at it. Draco dropped it in the lap of an extremely surprised professor Snape as the two broomsticks shot past him with the speed of a bullet.

After casting a quick spell, to insure that his remaining students stayed within the Quidditch stands, Albus was sprinting down the stand's steps and across the grounds after his two seekers at a surprising speed considering his age.

------------------

When he arrived towards the landing site he froze in astonishment again, Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy were talking urgently before they stepped back and each cast a quick charm, instantly the school robes disappeared and were replaced. Harry now wore tight blue jeans and a green tank top and Draco a pair of black jeans and a white dress shirt.

Their appearance was stranger though. Harry's eyes had turned a rich cobalt colour and had an oriental slant to them; his hair was lighter and his skin golden brown. His expression was schooled to be completely blank and when he shot a warning glare towards the headmaster, telling him in no uncertain terms to stay out of this, he could see the promise and knowledge of death and everything no fifteen year old should know.

Draco's hair had turned a wavy mass of blonde and his eyes were a deep sapphire blue, he looked warmer and friendlier than the Slytherin had ever looked, despite the weapon he was now holding in his hands.

Several teachers stepped forwards but were quelled by glares from both teenagers who exchanged glances, conferring silently before each stepped up to one of the machines.

As they hit a release catch on the 'feet' of the two machines, two bloody battered figures fell out of the compartments that just opened over their heads. One of the figures was tall, with ginger hair, he was wearing a blue military uniform and his face was streaked with blood, as was his clothing. He was conscious enough to twist in the air to protect his body as much as possible before the impact. He started as his body was caught and placed gently on the floor as the blonde teenager flicked his wand easily, one look up at the saviour who was now holding a gun to his head and the man struggled to his knees, smiled softly and bowed his head awaiting the inevitable.

A similar situation had played out for Harry except his prisoner was wearing a grey coat and long blonde hair streamed out behind him as he fell, until Harry caught him and laid him gently on the ground, following the blonde's lead.

He turned, keeping his weapon trained, to the pureblood teenager beside him and arched an eyebrow.

"If we have to answer questions so should they." The answer to the unspoken question came with no small amount of humour but there was no mistaking the steely and deadly tone to the voice.

An inexplicable nod later the Boy-Who-Lived turned back to his captive and spoke softly, without any of the emotions that usually accompanied a human voice, it was though a robot was speaking and many of the teachers flinched, still held back by Albus' warning hand, waiting to see what was going to happen.

"If either of you can give us a reason for us to spare your lives…"

"Neither of us want to kill you like this." Draco spoke up next, his tenor voice as cold as ice. "Both of you are too honourable to die on your knees as such, you both should have warriors' deaths, we _will_ kill you however… If you give us no other option.

The blonde on his knees before Harry opened his mouth to speak but started to cough uncontrollably, flecks of blood landed on the grass but the teen holding him at gunpoint watched impassively.

"Oh sweet Merlin." The whisper from Minerva McGonagall was near silent but it seemed that all four in front of her heard it, neither Harry or Draco moved but something about them changed, it was clear that they'd heard her murmur.

"I can't give you a reason." The voice from the ginger haired man was weary but aristocratic and refined, even on his knees. "I deserve death for my actions, I can only ask you to give me a warrior's death even though I know I have not even the right to ask for that. I will ask you for Milliardo's life though, he was acting on my orders and then as he though best to save humanity… And I apologize if we've blown your cover, both of you."

"I…" The blonde man broke of as another coughing fit over came him, "I deserve whatever end you give Treize, even less than him, I have no excuses for my actions, just empty apologies that come too late."

"Pretty words, even in death."

"Indeed," Draco whispered softly, "true aristocracy even till the end." He sent a look towards Harry who nodded even as he waved his wand with a whispered 'stupefy', neither man flinched and then they collapsed, almost in unison.

They each levitated their captive towards the school gates, through the stunned crowd of teachers.

As they started up the steps towards the infirmary Draco's laughing tones were heard, "I take it we're not killing them yet then."

"As you said, if we need to answer questions so should they."

"Trust you to consider death preferable to questioning."

"Ever been questioned by Lady Une?"

"Fair enough."

A faint laugh reached their ears and the teachers exchanged glances before splitting up, the Slytherin and Gryffindor house heads following their wayward students and Albus Dumbledore, the reminder set off towards the Quidditch pitch, not looking forward to the questions but trusting they would get an explanation later.

**End Chapter 1**

AN Well? How was that, this is my first attempted crossover so if it's a bit… weird please forgive me. Please review.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer/Rating/Summary** – see part 1 

**AN**, Ok pairing change, was gonna be a 1x6x1 fic but I got so many requests for a 1x6x13 that I just had to write it – grins – won't be graphic though, so new pairings stand as 1x6x13, 2x5x2, 3x4x3, RxD

**A Place in Time**

**Part 2**

Madame Pomfrey stared as they entered the hospital wing. She had of course been expecting some injured students after the Quidditch match, the rivalry between the two houses was legendary and some fights were certain to break out but she didn't recognise the two men who were now lying on the beds, nor the two who had brought them in.

Upon seeing their injured states though she didn't hesitate, removing the stunner even as she put them into a deep sleep intended to give them time to heal before beginning to clean away the blood and cast healing charms.

Seeing that the motherly woman was going to take care of their charges the Gryffindor and Slytherin turned to the three still standing in the doorway and the blonde gave a wan smile.

"I suppose you want to know what's going on? Well, I'm afraid that I can't tell you. An hour ago I would have sworn that these men were both dead, I watched them die myself. However," he shot a quick glance at the teen beside him who was watching the faces of the professors impassively, "it wouldn't be the first time one of us has survived a certain death."

At these words the cobalt eyes flickered across to look, almost curiously at the fair haired boy standing beside him, asking a question without words that still somehow still hung in the air. "By 'one of us' I presume you mean a gundam pilot."

"Yes I did but you should know better than to presume Heero, presuming gets you killed..."

"I'm sorry," Minerva McGonagall broke into the conversation not really wanting to hear any more of what the young Slytherin had been going to say, instead choosing to focus on the one aspect of the conversation that seemed safe. "Heero?"

"Yuy," her student answered an unasked question, "Heero Yuy, and this is Quatre Winner." He stopped, almost looking tired all of a sudden, "We're going to explain everything that we know about the situation but you have to understand that neither of us knows everything. We don't know how these men got here, we don't know what we should do about them now and we don't know how we're going to explain to you what has happened to us and who we are now but we're going to try so bear with us."

He took a deep breath before throwing up several privacy and silencing charms, conjuring chairs and gesturing for the professors to sit down to sit down, Draco… Quatre? Opened his mouth and began to speak.

"My name is Draco Malfoy, but it's also Quatre Raberba Winner, I was born in the year 1980 but also the year A.C. 180, about 785 years from now. I'm fifteen, nearly sixteen years old, a trainee wizard, and already have a career as a successful muggle terrorist under my belt. I was born on the thirty first of July, the same day as Harry Potter and on that date this year Draco Malfoy was reborn, in the future, into the body of Quatre Winner to grow up to become who I am now…"

He hesitated, running a hand through his hair, tugging at the blonde strands in frustration. "I'm not explaining this very well am I? Look, the mind of a fifteen year old Draco Malfoy was put into the body of a just born Quatre Winner and blotted out, when Quatre hit fifteen years old the memories were returned and the two personalities merged to become me, as I exist now.

"The same happened for Harry when he became Heero. We both have two faces and bodies, Draco and Harry, which we use here, and Quatre and Heero, which is for the future. All it takes is a simple charm to change them from one to another.

"We've both learned by now to trust our instincts, they're what kept us alive for so long, so when we both received dreams telling us who we are, what was happening and what we had to do about it, it didn't take a genius to realise that we should probably do as the dreams said. I'll admit, at first, I thought I was going mad but I'm an empath and I could tell that Heero was going through the same, after I managed to convince him to talk to me we quickly realised what was going on.

What it seems happened was that the… Well, 'The Powers That Be' would probably be the best term for them, they are the personification of fate and destiny and they realised that to fulfil _our_ destiny we needed to be given a wider perspective of the world. They realised that to defeat Voldemort we needed access to not only wizarding skills but also muggle ones such as martial arts and using muggle weapons. They realised that we needed to understand war and that we needed to be able to think for ourselves, we needed to stop being squeamish about death. Harry needed to learn to see the grey areas and I needed to realise that everything that my parents had told me wasn't true.

During the holidays we didn't really have a problem with being both, the Dursleys ignored Harry and he was by himself, except for me, here during the Christmas holidays. I was under 'ministry protection' during the summer and that basically means that they monitored the house for dark magic and avoided and ignored me wherever possible and I, of course, spent Christmas here. After Christmas it ended, the war ended on Christmas Eve and we thought it was over…

"But before Christmas, when September, and the new term started, we realised we had a problem, we needed to go back through time to now but we also needed to be able to go back and forth quickly for when we were needed. Logically enough time turners were the answer. There are lots of them about in the future, just before the complete ending of the magical world, about three hundred and fifty years ago, wizards wasted the last part of their magic making time turners, hundreds of them, in a last ditch attempt to fix what they'd done to their world. You see, where we are, in our time, magic has gone, totally. Natural dilution that's working, even now, meant that magic began to run out. You see, it's not how much magic someone has that determines how strong a witch or a wizard they are but how much magic they can pull and utilise from the outside world, when that magic runs out… there's nothing left. Anyway, Quatre is rich, incredibly rich, it wasn't hard to get a hold of the time turners, in the future they're being sold as antique ornaments, pretty but not useful and there are so many of them that they aren't really worth anything, I bought everyone I could find, there are thousands of them in my home and there are some here and all we needed to do was use the sand in them as floo powder.

"It's not completely simple though, the fireplace you're flooing to has to have been connected to the floo network and that means that you can't floo into a building that doesn't have in a fireplace that's at least three-four hundred years old, there aren't many left, the war has destroyed most of them, the Winner family residences along with some old manors and castles in what was formerly known as Europe are the only ones left. You can't be really specific when aiming for times either, the powder can take you to a year, any year, as long as it's exactly one hundred, two hundred, three, etc years from the time you're already in. Again, luckily for us, our future is exactly eight hundred years on from now, and I'm talking to the second, the AC years started on New Years Eve at midnight in what would have been the year 2600, therefore when it's March 23rd AC195, it's March 23rd 1995, eight hundred years ago.

"The person who is flooing has to have at least some magic blood in them as well, the blood and little spark of magic that would mean that if they were alive in this time, they would have been a witch or wizard. There aren't many of them left now, most of the people we know are but sometimes I wonder if that's a coincidence, if like calls to like or if their magic has to do with their success. But since all the people we know are the absolute top in their field, it's probably magic giving a little boost.

"Heero and I lived in both worlds until Christmas, on Christmas night the war ended finally and we were finally able to simply stay at Hogwarts instead of slipping back between the two. Alternating between missions and lessons, despite the time turners we were using, we nearly killed ourselves with how little we slept. We were needed though, we were instrumental in ending the war, we were gundam pilots and all I have time to explain right now is that a gundam pilot is the elitist of soldiers, the best of the best, there really are no words to say just how good we were, and I'm not merely boasting, it's the truth, out talents were… are unsurpassable. We weren't soldiers though, we were terrorists, fighting for our colonies' freedom, there were five of us, one for each of the main colony groupings. I'll show you some news footage of us later, I think there's some on the laptops, that should give you a better idea of what a gundam is and what a gundam pilot is, basically though a gundam is a robot, like the one's Treize and Zechs arrived in. They became pilot's later, Treize built the one that Zechs was piloting, the red suit, it's called the Epyon while the white one that Treize was flying isn't a gundam per say but the gundams were built from it's plans so it's similar enough

"Zechs and Treize are the leaders of the two armies we were fighting, the White Fang an OZ respectively, they knew they needed to die for peace in the end though, Zechs, or Milliardo as he was know by the end, blew himself up and destroyed the last piece of the carrier threatening the Earth, Treize allowed himself to be killed by Wufei, another gundam pilot, one that he'd been fighting against since the gundams first got involved in the war. Both Zechs and Treize are dead, the war ended a month ago, they've been dead a month so why are they lying on beds less that ten feet from me?"

Quatre stopped talking finally, rubbing his throat gently with his hand, Heero snapped his fingers and a glass of water instantly appeared in the Slytherin's hand, Draco gratefully took a sip.

"That's something else about this world." After hearing the honey-tones of the blonde for such a long speech Minerva found herself fighting a shudder at the dead tones of one of her favourite students. "Because we grew so used to relying on out innate magic," Heero continued, "when we returned to this world the power influx was unbelievable, we can use and utilise a lot more power than before, hence the wandless magic. Which is my only guess as to how Zechs and Treize got here, their own internal magic must have protected them from death and brought them to a place where they felt safe, which seems," he shook his head in astonishment, "to have been with us. I don't know why it took them a month to arrive or how the science of it works but that's the only guess I have and something's telling me that it's right."

"You keep…" For the first time in her life Minerva found her former Slytherin student sounding uncertain, Severus seemed not to want to address the question he was trying to ask and she couldn't blame him. Her perceptions of these two had been severely shaken but for Severus they must have been turned upside down. For years he had viewed Harry Potter as a clone of his father, arrogant, bullying and a complete idiot Gryffindor, that was not the teen sitting in front of them. Heero, fitting some part of her mind acknowledged, was silent, cold and undoubtedly deadly, there was no mistaking that the terrorist that Draco…? Quatre? Had claimed to exist was in there.

"You keep," Severus tried again, "you keep referring to the war, I take it you were revolutionaries and that those… machines are some form of future warfare but what exactly do you mean by 'war'."

The two students exchanged glances, "We were terrorists," Heero said again, "our world is partly on the Earth and partly in space, nearly two hundred years ago from our time space colonies were built and people were sent to live there, but for almost as long the Earth has been fighting with the colonies for control over them, that is what we were fighting to prevent. We've killed, there are five of us pilots, all teenagers and all with the blood of hundreds, if not thousands of soldiers on our hands. We've all been tortured, we've all seen and done things that would send most people screaming into the night, we all see faceless corpses in our dreams." He looked tired all of a sudden and Quatre could clearly see Harry's influences coming through, although the pilot in front of him was definitely Heero he knew Heero, as he was, would never have displayed this level of vulnerability with anyone, ever, Harry had made the stoic pilot finally realise that sometimes emotions weren't weak.

"I've been training as an assassin since I was five," Heero continued, "when Odin, my trainer and guardian, died I was scooped up by J and he made me into the 'perfect soldier', I was meant to be a weapon with no emotions, comrades, feelings or concern for my own life or anyone else's, I've been killing on a fairly regular basis for about ten years now. I was three the first time I killed someone and I can probably guarantee that I've killed more people that you've ever met in your lives. You can't protect me, either of us for that matter, anymore, we're not just pawns any longer, Your Harry and Draco are pawns in a magical war but Heero and Quatre aren't, Heero and Quatre can't be, the only reason we've kept quiet for this long is because we didn't want someone getting wind of our skills and telling Voldemort. We'll show you some of our abilities later so you actually believe that we're not lying, exaggerating or bluffing but you need to understand that we're not innocent and we're not children, you also need to understand how important that you don't discuss this with anyone…" He smiled sardonically, "please forgive me won't you."

A whispered spell quickly ensured that none of the professors would be discussing this and also brought them to their feet in confusion and anger. Heero shrugged uncaringly, "I'm simply not prepared to take the risk of you spilling under veritaserum, this spell will protect you from that, it will drive you insane of course as your brain fights with itself but that's only if exposure to the drug and correct questions continue… but either way, this is a war… I'm sure you understand that some sacrifices must be made."

Quatre rolled his eyes seeing the shocked faces, "don't worry, it's a spell we designed for use on ourselves in case of capture and torture, none of us went any more insane that we were already so I don't think you should worry but more important things… What are you going to tell the students?"

Surprisingly, or maybe not so, it was Heero who answered the blonde. "The students won't remember, neither will any of the other professors, a memory charm saw to that, a mass oblivate, they will all be feeling exceptionally tired soon and will feel an overwhelming urge to go to sleep, they'll sleep through till about ten tomorrow but since it's Saturday that shouldn't matter, the gundams have repelling and invisibility charms on them, we need to move them. And we need to decide what to do with the Epyon…"

Quatre shuddered lightly, "that monster needs to be destroyed, the last thing we need is it running amok in this world."

Seeing the blank and confused looks on the faces of the professors Heero explained, "It has an updated version of the ZERO system in it, the ZERO system is a computer programme that takes over the mind of the pilot, it shows him possible outcomes and paves the way to victory. Unfortunately it shows _all_ outcomes, including the pilot's own demise and if seeing your own death again and again doesn't drive you mad the next part will, it's a suit designed for victory… ultimate victory, a victory when the pilot is the only one left alive out of enemies, comrades and civilians. It's a suit designed for peace, but the best path to peace is to stop humans fighting and the best way to do that is to make sure there are no humans left to fight."

He glanced round the room taking in the horrified expressions on his teacher's faces impassively, he paused on Quatre's though, seeing past the mask to the haunted depths of smiling, cerulean eyes then Quatre caught him watching and smiled reassuringly quickly moving to change the subject.

"I think we need to call the others."

**Owari Chapter 2**

AN Ok, did that even begin to make sense? I've had this in my head for forever so what I've thought and what I've just typed are not completely coinciding as sometimes what I think I've written I haven't – sighs – if you don't understand anything though or I missed something out I'll try to answer it.


	3. Chapter 3

AN Thanks for the reviews and here's the next part, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone, or the appropriate wishes for your religion anyway, hope you had a good one.

Rating/Summary/Disclaimer – See part one

**A Place**** in Time **

**Chapter 3**

Quatre was sitting cross legged in front of the fireplace in the Great Hall waiting for his floo call to connect, it tended to take a while when it was trying to connect over a time distance of eight-hundred years.

When, clearly exhausted, Madam Pomfrey had finally announced that Treize and Zechs were stable but likely to remain in a natural healing coma for some time, Quatre had decided that it was late enough to risk calling the others without having to worry about running into one of the other students.

When he had been questioned by the teachers about why he didn't just use a private floo of the one in the headmaster's office he had replied with something he had forgotten to tell them earlier when he and Heero had been explaining the complexities of cross-time floo travel. The place you were flooing to or from had to have or have had sufficient magical reserves to support the call, this meant he could only contact his friends from Hogwarts' natural magical center, which happened to be the Great Hall.

"Are you sure he'll be alright up there?" Quatre's thoughts were broken into by the worried voice of one of the three teachers who had insisted on accompanying him to the Hall to make the call.

Biting back his annoyed response to the question he'd already answered several times he sought to reassure her, yet again, "I'm sure all three of them will be fine, if Heero wanted them dead they already would be. There's no point of keeping them alive for questioning alone since we're unlikely to discover anything new anyway…"

Turning round he noticed the less-than-reassured expression she was wearing and sighed silently, before he could try again though the fire flared, indicating that someone had picked up. Quickly he waved the professors to the side, putting a finger over his lips to indicate that they had to be quiet, if Duo saw or heard them then it would take him a lot longer to explain what was going on and he didn't want to have to explain more times than he had to.

"Hello…" The sleepy voice of the American pilot sent a wave of nostalgia running through him as he realised just how much he'd missed his comrades.

"Hi Duo."

"Quatre?" Instantly violet eyes snapped open as the American's face appeared and when he next spoke the voice sounded far more awake. "What's wrong? Are you ok? Is it Heero? What's happened? Do you need help? What's going on?"

Quatre couldn't help but smile at the entirely typical response from the braided teenager and couldn't help but turn around to look at the expressions of disbelief on the faces of the Professors at their amazement that any one person could talk that fast.

"I'm fine, so is Heero, nothing's wrong per say but… look, it would be so much easier to explain this to everyone at once so could you call the others and tell them, if they aren't too busy, to come to Hogwarts ASAP, we've had a small, unexpected development."

Duo shot him a piercing look through the flames, "you sure Q? What were you looking at just then?"

"That's part of the explanation and yes I'm sure, we're both fine."

He was gifted with another sharp look but Duo eventually nodded, "'Kay Q, see ya soon."

As the call disconnected Severus assumed that meant they were allowed to move and speak again. "Who was that."

His student turned to look at him and he watched as the young teenager pinched the bridge of his nose, tightly squeezing his eyes shut, mentally preparing himself.

"That was Duo Maxwell, one of the gundam pilots, the God of Death to be precise." Seeing the disbelieving expressions once again he exhaled noisily. "For Allah's sake! We are not normal teenagers, get used to it and stop looking so shocked when I say something that doesn't completely fit in with your view of the world."

"Who are 'the others'?"

"The others are our comrades and friends who know about the two worlds, two times thing. The other pilots, Duo, Wufei, they're engaged by the way, and Trowa, the fifth pilot, my lover. Then there's some more friends of ours, Relena Peacecraft, Zechs' sister, former Queen of the world and current Vice Foreign Minister, that's the equivalent of Minister for Magic except her position relates not merely to one country but to the whole planet and to the colonies as well. Dorothy Catalonia, Relena's lover and Treize's cousin, she also worked under Zechs towards the end of the war and is not advising Relena politically. Sally Po, a doctor who used to work for the alliance, until she met Heero and became a rebel, she's now head of the Preventer Medical Corps. Lady Une, head of the Preventers, an fairly new organisation, established after the war, designed to keep the peace, literally, she's our commanding officer as we're working for the Preventers on occasion now. She was also Treize's second in command during the war. Finally there's Lucrezia Noin, Zechs' adopted sister and a former soldier in Treize's army, she was removed from it and assigned to act as Relena's bodyguard by Zechs, she's still working as that now.

"Eight people in total, none much older than Heero or I am, all with hardened battle skills, well, all but Relena but I assure you that any of the others is completely capable of protecting both her and themselves at the same time so no sudden movements please. I don't particularly want you dead and none of these people is used to having to hold their fire."

Inwardly, he allowed that he was probably over-emphasising just how trigger-happy his friends were but he didn't want to take any chances with their lives. It was mostly true anyway, as employees of the Preventers and occupants of several other prestigious positions, each of the people that would be entering his professor's lives shortly had a licence to kill. Something which had lead Duo to rush out and instantly buy every James Bond movie he could find, before framing his licence and hanging it proudly in his living room. And, like James Bond, none of them were averse to using it, if the need arose.

Ignoring the uncomfortable expressions on the faces of the adults behind him he stepped away from the fire to allow the, hopefully, soon-to-be occupier of the fireplace an easy exit.

Taking a deep breath he prepared to shatter any illusions they may have had remaining as he started to talk about the world they had come from and the people in it.

**End Chapter 3**

AN Worth the wait? Well, new chapter should be up sooner as it's nearly written. Please review.


	4. Chapter 4

AN Hiya, up a bit earlier than originally planned but it's short and it is New Year so...

Rating/Summary/Disclaimer - Please see first chapter

**A Place in Time**

**Chapter 4**

As the flames darkened, signifying a floo arrival, Quatre stopped. The three he had been talking to looked uneasy and quite green as they watched the fireplace.

As the swirling flames died away they left behind a young Chinese man, he was dressed in tight black jeans and a blue shirt, hair pulled back tightly, into a severe knot at the back of his head, black eyes surveyed the hall, glittering coldly, as he ran his eyes over the three professors, clearly recognising them from the descriptions given by Heero and Quatre.

The weapon he'd had raised since he arrived was pointed unwaveringly at the three and didn't move as he flickered his eyes towards the blonde who was watching him with a grin on his face.

Relaxing slightly at the unspoken pronouncement that everything was alright he stepped out of the fire and sheathed the katana. Almost instantly he was nearly smothered by the Sandrock pilot who had just barrelled into him, hugging him tightly.

He spluttered slightly and then hugged the blonde back, pushing him away after a few seconds with an 'alright, get off me Winner!'

Letting him go after a couple of seconds Quatre stepped back slightly and gestured to the professors who were watching the reunion silently, "Wufei this is Professor Severus Snape, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore and Professor Minerva McGonagall respectively." He gestured to each as he spoke and when he had finished Wufei surveyed them, eyes narrowed before nodding slightly, Quatre turned back to his teachers, "Professors this is Chang Wufei… I don't think I'm going to introduce you to everyone each time because, social correctness be damned, it's late and I can't be bothered so you'll have to wait until everyone else arrives."

Wufei fought the slight twitch of lips that those words inspired. From what he'd heard about the Slytherin whose personality had joined with his friend's, that little pronouncement was definitely Draco's influence.

Quatre turned back to him and, catching the nearly invisible smile, he beamed back in response. "Did anyone have a problem with making it here?"

As a response Wufei shook his head "There weren't any…"

"…Problems Quat, everyone said that they'd be here within ten minutes and probably sooner, they were all pretty worried despite what I told them." The answer to Quatre's question was finished by Duo as he exited the fire.

Minerva jumped as the voice came from the fireplace and she found herself staring down the barrel of, yet another, weapon as a teenager with a meter long braid exited the fire. She felt her colleagues jump beside her and belatedly noticed that neither teen had jumped, they'd both clearly noticed the newcomer before even Severus had.

Quatre moved forward to hug the brunette too but moved back quite quickly as Wufei intercepted them and wrapped his arms tightly and proprietarily around the braided boy.

"Mission?"

"Fine, "Duo sighed, clearly happy to be back with the other teenager, "no problems, not even a scratch on me, target dead, no bother."

Quatre smiled happily at the two, catching sight of the bemused and shocked expressions on the faces of the three adults. Their looks of surprise caused him to roll his eyes, he had warned them, they weren't exactly normal.

Then the flames burned brightly again and his face turned hopefully back to the fire. His silent wishes were granted when the flames died away to reveal a tall young man, he was dressed in tight jeans and a turtleneck and had a fall of hair obscuring one eye, the other, a piercing jade green watched the blonde silently, clearly waiting for his move.

Instead of rushing forwards as the others had no doubt expected Quatre stepped forward slowly and allowed Trowa to exit before he wrapped his arms round the other's neck and kissed him deeply.

They broke off at the astonished cries of the professors and the disgruntled mutterings of Duo Maxwell as he dove into his pocket and pulled out a wad of notes, peeling a couple off he handed them to his lover who smirked and pocketed them.

Quatre rolled his eyes, his arms still round the taller boy's neck, "You were betting on our love life? _Again_?!"

"Needed to do something to keep my mind off what could be happening to you," the braided teen shot back, "not like you were generous with the info Q-man."

"What was the bet?" the green eyed pilot asked quietly but curiously.

"Duo bet that Winner would tackle you before you made it out the fireplace, I said he'd at least let you clear the grate." Duo hmphed again and Quatre laughed softly.

All three teachers watched the changes in their student in astonishment, was this really the arrogant, smirking, taunting teenager that they'd seen earlier that day? It would appear that it wasn't just Harry Potter they'd misjudged.

Slowly the hall began to feel fuller as others started to arrive, each shooting curious looks at the three professors who were starting to look and, obviously, feel very out of place in a hall with some of the deadliest people in existence.

Finally, when Lady Une arrived, with sincere apologies for her lateness, Quatre began the introductions.

"These are some of mine and Heero's Professors, this is Minerva McGonagall, head of Gryffindor, Harry's house and Transfiguration professor, this is Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts and lastly that's Severus Snape, head of Slytherin, Draco's house and Potions master."

The three nodded at the newest arrivals to their school and were gratified when most nodded back, they hadn't been expecting this, despite Quatre's warnings. They had, still, half been expecting innocents, it was clear that these were anything but. Nearly every one had stepped out of the fire with a weapon of some sort pointed at them and none had really let their guard down, all tensed and ready for action no matter how relaxed they looked.

"Professors," Quatre continued, "Left to right, this is gundam pilot Wufei Chang, his fiancé, gundam pilot Duo Maxwell, my lover, gundam pilot, Trowa Barton. Preventer medical officer Sally Po, Vice Foreign Minister Relena Peacecraft Darlian, her lover and political advisor Dorothy Catalonia, Preventer officer and bodyguard to Relena Lucrezia Noin and, finally, Lady Une, head of the Preventers."

"Quatre," The one that the Slytherin had labelled as being Relena Peacecraft stepped forwards, flanked protectively by her girlfriend and bodyguard, "what is this about? What's happened?"

Quatre sighed and braced himself for their reactions, "Treize and Zechs are alive."

**End Chapter 4**

**AN **Well, was it ok, thanks soooo much to everyone who reviewed/reviews this and promises and Death, cos I got a load more reviews for them than I was expecting. Please review this too -grins hopefully- Happy New Year everyone


	5. Chapter 5

AN I am so sorry this took so long but I wrote the first half of this chapter and then managed to lose it! I still haven't worked out how or where it went but nevertheless I still had to write it again. Again I am so sorry but to make it up this chapter is over 3000 words long, quite a bit longer than the previous ones and you get to see Heero with Zechs and Treize. Next chappie shouldn't take so long. Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed me, I love reviews I really do, they make my day. 

Rating/Summary/Disclaimer – please see first chapter.

**A Place in Time**

**Chapter 5**

For a few seconds no one said anything and then one quiet voice spoke up, "I don't think this is the best place to be having this discussion," Lady Une gestured to the exit of the hall and turned to face the blonde pilot again. "Is there somewhere else we can go perhaps?"

"Yes, of course."

"Quat…" Upon the hesitant question all eyes turned to the braided boy, "where's Heero?"

"He's with Zechs and Treize."

Duo turned incredulous violet eyes on the blonde teenager, "you left Heero Yuy with them? You left Heero Yuy unattended with two people he's been trying to kill for the better part of a year? You left Heero Yuy, the mission man, with two people who it was his mission to kill and you expect them to be alive when you get back?"

Quatre smiled softly, "something tells me they'll be ok but you should go and check if you're worried, I'll let Heero tell you what's going on, meet us in the Room of Requirements later, you know where the hospital wing is don't you?"

"Yeah, yeah," Duo ran a hand through his messy braid, "I'm guessing we're trying to keep them alive for the time right?"

"That was the plan."

"And you honestly think they'll be ok with him?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Ok," Duo's eyes had narrowed on the other boy, "what do you know that I don't."

Quatre laughed softly, "I just don't think we'll have a problem but by all means check, he probably shouldn't be up there on his own anyway. Have Heero fill you in on what's been happening or meet us at the Room once you've checked to see if they're ok. Oh and have him talk to the house elves about getting the rooms ready for you, he gets on with them really well."

Duo sent him a thumbs up as he left the room and Quatre turned back to the others.

"Well, ready for an unbelievable story?"

"If this is your idea of a 'small unexpected development' I would hate to see a big one." The mutter from the Latin pilot made Quatre blink at him quizzically, "That's how you described the situation to Duo," Trowa explained. "We've had a 'small, unexpected development' you said."

"Well, maybe I understated a tad…"

Chattering quietly among themselves the eight young men and women walked out of the room, the almost forgotten Professors trailing behind them.

"I can't believe this," Minerva whispered softly. Severus and Albus just looked at her. "They're children, all of them, just kids, what happened to them? Look at them!"

Both Severus and Albus looked and both saw the same thing, they watched three young men and five young women walk together.

The three boys all with perfect posture, all clearly armed, all watchful for any dangers, all smiling, well of a fashion, and talking quietly as though they had no cares in the world but all with haunting shadows darkening their eyes. The signs were obvious if you knew where to look for them.

And then there were the girls, the eldest, Lady Une and Sally couldn't be any more than… twenty-two Draco had said. Yet the blonde's medical skills were apparently legendary and the brunette's ruthlessness and competency in running the defence, not just for the world but the colonies too, spoke of years of experience and long training. Not even the younger ones had escaped, two blonde teenagers walking close together, one a complete pacifist, head of her family's nation and then Queen of the World at age sixteen, there had been a war fought in her name. The second came from a family that devoted itself to the practice of war and she had fought against the gundam pilots at the end, using the ZERO system to give her the advantage in battle, almost killing the young Slytherin whom they had all thought they knew. The last was moving with the complete aptitude of an accomplished soldier, she knew her body and how well it could move, she wasn't going to hesitate, it was easy to see why she had been given the task of guarding the young royal.

What they could see was obvious, eight young people whose lives had been made, shaped and destroyed by the wars that had been fought both around, for and by them.

Heero sat, watching them. Zechs face was turned towards him and he was wearing a gentle smile, he looked truly at peace for the first time since Heero had met him.

Treize looked younger; his face was missing the lines that had stood out so prominently on his youthful features, especially towards the end of the war. Strange how he'd never noticed the differences sooner… but this was the first time he'd actually stopped and watched the two of them for any length of time. Before he'd always been in a hurry to leave, to make sure they didn't get caught together, to make sure no one knew. He'd nearly managed it, they'd managed to keep it from everyone but Quatre and since he was an empath it hardly counted.

He could still remember the strange sensations of horror, terror and relief that had flooded through him when Quatre had smiled at him innocently and asked if he'd had a nice time out with Zechs and Treize.

He'd made the subsequent denials of course but he'd known the blonde pilot wasn't just bluffing. He'd been right; Quatre had looked at him again this time with an expression that said 'please, do you think I'm stupid'.

Half expecting to be shot on the spot he'd stood, silently, not even attempting to reach for a weapon. Quatre hadn't shot him though. Quatre had hugged him!

He'd stood, frozen, not knowing how to react until he'd relaxed enough to hug the blonde back, what he'd originally viewed as weakness he now recognised as Harry coming to the forefront for one of the first times he could remember, even if their personalities hadn't merged yet, he obviously already had some influence.

He hadn't really realised just how much trouble he was getting himself into when he'd fallen for the two of them, let alone started a relationship with them. For him though, when he'd met them, something had just clicked.

The first time he'd met Zechs the other pilot had nearly succeeded in killing him and that was enough to make Heero wonder about him enough to accept the invitation to Antarctica when it came. He'd been unprepared for the rush of emotions, like all that J had tried to block out. Acting on his emotions he'd reached out and had shaken the other's hand, ignoring Trowa's surprise, surprise that he knew would be unnoticed by all others but him. He'd known in that instant that he couldn't fight using the Wing gundam; he'd known that he couldn't kill him.

That was the moment at which he should have stopped but he hadn't been able to resist going for one more look the next time his own connections reported that the blonde was in the same area. It hadn't been Zechs he'd found though.

##Flashback##

He slipped into the room silently, with the confidence that came from knowing that no one on the compound knew of his arrival. He was intent on understanding his feelings or killing the man on the spot but, of course, things weren't going to go to plan.

Instead of Zechs he was confronted with the image of an exhausted Treize Khushrenada, lying on the bed, not sleeping, eyes blank, staring at the ceiling of the ornate room. The haunted look on his face was obvious even from where Heero was standing. Why was Treize here? He was supposed to be halfway around the world by now, why was he here? And why did he look like he hadn't slept in a month? Rushed with the feeling that he wanted nothing more than to stop the man hurting he froze in shock. He hated this man, he was responsible for the deaths of Noventa, Ventei and countless others… so why couldn't he stop staring at him?

There was a kind of ethereal beauty in the other man's, oh so visible, demons. Then Zechs had entered the room and the spell had been broken.

The blonde looked tired but determined, desperation was also evident on his face, "Treize, you need to sleep."

The ginger haired man neglected to reply, he gave no indication that he'd even heard the Zechs' words.

"Treize _please_."

The 'please' had garnered a response.

"How can I sleep? I can see them screaming in my dreams. I deserve to die for the things I've done. I'm just too much of a coward to do the job myself," he'd given a bitter laugh that, despite his own inner demons, had caused Heero to fight a flinch. Zechs clearly had no such reservations and he shuddered slightly, even more so with the older man's next words. "Maybe if I wait long enough one of those pilots will come and finish it off."

"You made a _mistake_. You're only human Treize you can't get everything right all the time. You're doing an incredible job for only being twenty-four."

For the first time in the conversation Treize moved at those words. "It's not enough though is it? I don't even know what I'm trying to do anymore Zechs. I engineered the deaths of pacifists Zechs! My enemies yes, I've never had any problems with killing my enemies, but pacifists?! People who trusted me, people who weren't going to fight, people who hadn't done anything wrong but take steps towards a future that would have limited my power. That's evil Zechs! Can you honestly tell me that what I did was right?"

"No," the reply was near silent and even Heero had to strain to hear it, "but I can see how you feel now, I can see that you know you made a mistake, I can see that you're sorry…"

"Sometimes though…" the answer was heavy with regret, "sometimes 'sorry' just isn't enough."

##End flashback##

He'd left as Treize was being pulled into the arms of Zechs Marquise, the blonde's tears running down to fall on Treize's hair.

He'd left. He hadn't been able to stop himself going back just a few night's later though.

##Flashback##

Perched on the railing he'd stayed on before he silently surveyed the scene, Treize was sitting at the desk, an open laptop in front of him, he wasn't typing though, his eyes were fixed on an image of Sylvia Noventa, the young woman Heero had visited just weeks ago.

Heero could tell that he was deep in though, the page hadn't scrolled down in all the time he'd been watching him, Treize was just staring at the photograph of the smiling young woman who the caption claimed was Sylvia Noventa, granddaughter of the most famous of Treize's unknown victims.

He was never going to understand what would provoke his next actions but he also would never grow to regret them.

Silently he crept down off the sill and into the room, Treize froze as the reflection appeared on the screen of the computer. He bowed his head, expecting a shot.

Heero paused uncertainly and Treize, as if realising his hesitation turned slowly to face him, the door had opened at that moment but neither looked away. Heero felt his breath catching in his throat, oh God; this hadn't been in the plan.

------------------

Zechs' jaw dropped at the scene he was looking at, Heero and Treize were staring at each other, each seeming unwilling to look away. He didn't move, reluctant to disturb either man, not wanting to antagonise an already tense situation, not wanting the death of Heero or Treize to be on his conscience by the end of the day.

After what seemed like an eternity Heero spoke, "You're not, you know."

His own bewilderment had been mirrored in Treize's eyes.

"Not what?"

"Evil," Heero took a deep breath, seemingly disbelieving that he was saying these things to these people, here. "You're not evil."

"How…" Treize's voice cracked, "How do you know that? How can _you_ think that? If anyone has the right to think I'm evil then it's you."

"I know because… because you regret it, you made a mistake, _now_ make amends."

With those words Zechs and Treize had watched as Heero turned and disappeared out of the window faster than they could blink, by the time they'd recovered enough to move to the window and look out the unruly haired pilot had vanished.

##End Flashback##

It had developed almost into a game, he'd go and see how they were, never speaking more than a few words, never staying for long but appearing every night when he was close enough to drop in.

He'd known they were lovers of course, it was never explicitly said but he'd known, it had been impossible to miss and he'd felt a hurt in his soul when he'd seen them together, a longing for the same closeness he could see they felt.

He'd realised that was what it was later but not until his own yearning had gone away. He'd only noticed when the bone-deep loneliness had been replaced by the warm contentment he'd felt when he was the one to put the smiles on their faces, when it had been his lips one of them had been claiming in a kiss…

He knew he'd been stupid of course, he knew that he had no business falling for the enemy, let alone two of them, but for him something had just clicked when he'd met them, something he'd never felt before.

Then he'd become Harry and Quatre had become Draco and after that he'd known he couldn't see them ever again. He'd found out about his heritage and everything had changed. Something in particular had started to pull at his memory, it was something he'd read about once and, when he turned his attention towards it, he had found what had made him act that way when meeting Zechs and Treize for the first time. It had been the natural magical reaction of a wizard or witch to meeting one of their… well soulmates sounded too cliché but it was probably the closest thing to it. All wizards had several people who they could spend the rest of their lives with and they also tended to meet them young, magic calling to magic, that was why so many wizards and witches married young and why so few marriages in the wizarding world ended in divorce. All wizards felt something when they first met their soulmate, it didn't matter if they knew what they were feeling or not.

He'd talked to Quatre about what he knew about the subject that very night, he'd claimed it was one of his memories that he wanted to clarify and the blonde had given him a look that said he knew he was lying but he was going to let it go, this time.

He'd listened detachedly, carefully, comparing his memory with what he was learning now and then cross-referencing it with his feelings about Zechs and Treize. Then he'd begun to panic. From then on he'd stopped seeing the leaders and had refused to think about them, refusing to believe that it would hurt no matter what he did.

Quatre had looked at him worriedly each time he'd seen him, it was obvious he though that ignoring the two men wasn't the best thing to do in this situation but he hadn't said anything. Hadn't commented on the gaunt cheeks or the dark shadows under his eyes that were gradually getting darker. He'd just squeezed his hand tightly, letting him know without words that if he needed to talk the blonde would always listen to him.

He hadn't said anything but that had meant more than anything else to him at that time, even as Harry he'd always been under an obligation to talk to someone who had no real idea about what he was going through. Quatre hadn't demanded he say anything, he'd just let him know he was there.

He'd only taken him up on it once, Christmas Eve, the night the war ended, the night he'd seen Zechs blow himself up. The night he'd listened to Wufei's, less-than-victorious, announcement that Treize Khushrenada was dead.

He'd waited till Trowa had been dragged away from the vigil he was keeping at Quatre's hospital bedside by Sally, to be examined for any injuries. The blonde was awake and had just looked at him as he'd sat down on the bed carefully, not wanting to disturb the Arabian.

He'd sat there and curled into a ball as tightly as he could, feeling his heart breaking, replaying the moment he saw the explosion far away and realised that it was Treize and Wufei, that for one of them it was now over, then he'd heard Wufei's voice and he'd known. He'd ignored it and had taken off to fight Zechs, he'd employed training techniques that he'd been trying to eliminate to put the last part of himself into fighting his other lover.

He hadn't even realised that he'd been crying, until Quatre had pulled him into his arms roughly and had begun to rock him like a child. That was the first and last time he could ever remember crying and, somehow, sobbing into the Sandrock pilot's chest had made him feel better, it hadn't taken away his heartbreak but it had made him realise he wasn't alone.

He'd asked if it ever stopped hurting. Quatre had shaken his head but said that it did get better. Was this better? He wasn't sure.

How could it be better when now he was running the risk of losing them again? What was he going to do if they decided that the two men needed to be killed to preserve the peace? Neither of them would argue, they'd already good as killed themselves for the peace already, neither would object if they were told that their deaths were needed. In fact they'd probably welcome it.

He was ignoring that it was still his mission to kill them. During the war his response, to realising that he'd have to kill his lovers or stand by while one of his comrades did was determination to ignore them both, so when it happened it wouldn't hurt so much.

It hadn't worked.

He'd had to come to terms with that once, they couldn't ask him to do it again could they?

Slowly he pulled a knife out of a sheath that he had concealed under the jacket he'd shrugged on, as the hospital wing had grown colder. He ran the blade over his finger deliberately, watching the thin sliver of blood well up and flow languidly. It would be so easy to kill them, to kill both of them and then himself. _So_ easy to kill them like this… well, it would be physically anyway. Mentally was a whole other concept and, inside, he knew that there was no way he'd be able to kill someone like that, like a coward, while they were lying unconscious, especially not them, even if he hadn't been in love with them, they still deserved better.

Reaching out a hand he gently brushed away one long, white-blonde, bang from his lover's face, _ex_-lover, his mind forcibly reminded him, 'he's not going to want anything to do with you now is he, even if he does survive. Neither of them are,' the thought finished as he traced a scar on Treize's eyebrow. A scar that he knew the other man had gotten when he'd fallen out of a tree trying to impress Zechs when they had been younger. Somehow it was comforting that not all scars were war related.

How could this be better? He'd already seen them die once; he couldn't watch it again.

**End Chapter 5**

AN Worth the wait? Please review.


	6. Chapter 6

AN Sorry again for the wait but I have so many essays I don't really know where to begin. 

**Summary/Disclaimer/Rating** – Please see first chapter

**A Place in Time **

**Chapter 6**

Duo Maxwell was cursing the designers of the labyrinth that Heero and Quatre called a school as he rounded the last corner to the hospital wing. Whose idea had it been to have staircases that could move anyway?

Then he felt it. He wasn't completely sure what it was, possibly some terrorist instincts or maybe some of his wizarding heritage coming out to play but one thing he was certain of was that he needed to get to the hospital wing, now.

Throwing caution to the winds he sprinted the rest of the way down the corridor before he paused before the door, opening it cautiously.

Heero Yuy was sitting inside, looking more unhappy that Duo had ever seen him, in one hand he held a deadly looking knife, that wasn't particularly a surprise, what was shocking was the fact that Heero was gently running the fingers on his other hand through Zechs' hair, just managing to hold in his gasp of astonishment he watched in incredulous, disbelieving amazement as Heero turned his attentions to the ginger-haired man lying next to the blonde.

Fighting the urge to cry out in shock he quietly moved into the room, displaying some of the stealth tactics for which he was so well known.

No matter how good his skills were though he still couldn't stop the Perfect Soldier from noticing him. Despite the fact that he had yet to make a sound Heero whirled round as though he'd been shot. The knife in his friend's hand was now pointed directly at him and he froze, he wasn't an idiot after all, despite his reputation as a fool. He couldn't help but miss the speed at which Heero's hand had removed itself from Treize's face either. With speed yes but also with the gentleness with which one would handle a lover.

Oh shit.

A _lover!_

It would appear that he'd found out what Quatre knew that he didn't.

-

Heero's head shot up as Duo entered the room and he tore his hand away from Treize's face quickly. Not quickly enough apparently because Duo was watching him with wide eyes, it was clear he'd seen him… and that he'd quickly worked it out. The question was, how much?

"Duo…"

"Just… don't, ok. How long? Never mind I don't think I want to know… How…? How could you have been so stupid? He's… _they're_ the enemy Heero, trying to kill us, OZ, Whitefang, trying to _blow up the Earth_, is _any_ of this ringing a bell!"

"Duo I…"

"I _don't_ want to hear it Heero!" he sighed unhappily, running his fingers through chestnut coloured bangs. Heero lowered the knife and looked at him fearfully.

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't _know_! I might have been able to ignore it if they were dead but they're not are they? And I don't think they will be anytime soon. But that's not for me to decide, just like it's not for me to decide what to do with you. Heero it's not just me you've betrayed here it's the other pilots as well and because of that it's not just me who has the right to make the decision."

"I didn't betray you! I was just…"

"Sleeping with the enemy." Duo finished sarcastically. Then he sighed, pulling on the end of his braid in frustration, God why did he have to be in this position? It wasn't like he honestly thought Heero had been telling their secrets but he had been sleeping with….

"For that matter which one was it?" He asked, his brain finally comprehending the fact that Heero had been looking pretty chummy with both men.

Heero bit his lip.

"_Both_ of them!" The incredulous shout escaped before he could stop it as he realised.

"I know I shouldn't have even comprehended let alone started a relationship with them, either of them, but I honestly never betrayed you or sold any secrets, I broke it off before the end of the war, I was _truthfully_ trying to kill Zechs and I didn't try to stop Wufei killing Treize during that final battle, I don't have anything to do with their arrival here." Heero's quiet voice broke into his musings, confirming most of his suspicions, didn't mean it was his choice on what to do about it though.

"Yeah? Yeah… I know, but… _God_ Heero."

They sat in silence for a while. Heero watching him worriedly and Duo deliberately not looking at the other pilot.

His mind was racing, it wasn't that he wanted to rat Heero out but this wasn't just his and Heero's secret, it was all of theirs, since the war was over he might have been able to ignore it but they were both alive and it looked like Heero wanted to continue whatever it was they'd had before… The others were bound to find out eventually. He didn't have the luxury that Quatre had had, the knowledge that when it was over one or both of them would be dead so he didn't have to say anything… Ok, so maybe that wasn't necessarily a luxury but still he'd had the option of being able to say nothing, he didn't. Still, option or not he'd be having words with Quatre when he saw the blonde again, he had no doubt that the young strategist had set this up, probably because he knew that he wouldn't react as badly as his, well-meaning but undeniably hot-tempered, lover would have done.

He shook away the feelings that he was being slightly hypocritical. After all he was working with Lady Une and Dorothy Catalonia now on a daily basis, why should he be criticising Heero for having a relationship with Zechs and Treize? Because the decision to work with Dorothy and Une was not only made after the war but was made by all of the pilots with no secrecy, that's why.

He knew what he had to do, this wasn't just his choice anymore, this concerned all of the pilots and therefore had to be answered by all of the pilots, not so much by Relena and the others but definitely by the pilots.

Decision made, he turned back to the anxious young man. God he is young, he realised suddenly. Heero was a _teenager_, just like the rest of them, and sometimes it was easy for teenagers to make mistakes. No matter how old they all acted, they couldn't know everything yet, they made mistakes. But Heero didn't have the liberty of making mistakes in a war, none of them did and some mistakes affected all of them and so all of them had a say in it. Before he could talk himself out of what he knew he had to do he got to his feet, Heero rising with him.

"I know you have to tell the others," Heero said quietly.

"Yeah."

"Are we going now?"

"Yeah," Duo sighed again and walked out of the room, without a backward glance to make sure Heero was following.

-

Heero winced as Duo turned away from him and walked out of the room, he was sorry to have put the jovial American in such a position and he understood his actions, he'd managed to keep this quiet for longer than should have been possible, now, with them back, he did want to try again, if they'd forgive him anyway, and for that to happen the others needed to know.

With a last look at the two oblivious men who'd caused him so much trouble in his life, yet whom he still cared for greatly, he exited the room after Duo, throwing up a few final protection spells around both Zechs and Treize. That should last until he got back, and he _was_ going to come back.

He had to.

-

Reaching the door, Heero and Duo both looked at it worriedly then Duo gestured towards it with his head and, after gulping, Heero walked through the door.

All eyes turned to the two pilots who had entered the room, Relena was the first to jump to her feet, she rushed over and wrapped her arms around him tightly. Momentarily startled, he hesitated for a second and then hugged her back. Slowly she pulled away and looked him up and down.

"Relena."

"Hey Heero, you look good."

"Thank you… so do you." She grinned brightly before she pulled away the others in the room were smiling at him but they all waited and let the other pilots move forwards.

"Yuy."

"Yuy."

"Chang, Barton." Heero nodded, acknowledging them respectively, then, catching Duo's eye he nodded again. "Could I have a word please, in private," he added.

Both studied him for a second but his expression didn't falter then, both dipped their heads slightly and followed him into the smaller, separate room at the back of the large conference room that had appeared for them. Duo followed them and, after an apologetic smile to the other occupants of the room, Quatre did too.

"You don't think he's killed them already do you?" The tart observation came from Dorothy and brought aghast stares from the Professors who everyone ignored.

"He's better not have," Noin muttered, "I want to have a serious talk with Zechs and it won't be as effective if he's dead when we're having it."

"I don't think he's killed them but something's going on." Relena replied, her eyes still fixed thoughtfully on the door the pilots had disappeared through.

"Why don't you think he's killed them?" Lady Une asked, squinting at the former queen curiously.

"No blood."

"Oh please!" Sally snorted, "this is Heero Yuy, if he doesn't want blood on his clothes then he won't get blood on his clothes, no matter how many people he decides to kill."

"He's not that bad surely… Is he…?" The almost tentative question from Albus Dumbledore made the five women in the room blink at them.

Then, "yes." The almost unanimous answer came.

Relena gave a small smile. "He's maybe not _that_ bad but it's no secret in our world that if Heero wants you dead then you'll be dead very soon, probably within twenty four hours. There are very few exceptions to this rule, ourselves being the main ones, apparently Treize and Zechs are the others but none of us knew that up until very recently…"

"He's a ruthless killer when he needs to be," Une butted in, "all of them are in the right circumstances, it's necessary in a war, especially when you're wanted by everyone on the planet and the colonies. In other circumstances though, I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have at my back, despite our… differences."

"Differences?" Severus questioned frowning.

Une smiled at him, "yes, differences, for a long time I was on the other side of the war to the pilots and most of the people in this room. I did some terrible things, I… I organised Duo's execution, I killed Relena's father and then used his death as propaganda material against the pilots, I engineered the deaths of dozens of pacifists who could have stopped the war, I…" Her smile had fallen from her face and her eyes were half closed, she looked like she was fighting inner demons such as those not many had ever experienced before.

Severus watched her quietly, he could sympathise, he hadn't been much younger than she was when he'd turned traitor and begun to serve the light, he understood about trying to make amends and feeling that you never could.

"Stop." Relena ordered quietly and Une looked at her. "You can't change things but you are making compensating for the things you've done, you have made mistakes but so everyone does, everyone in this room has things that haunt them but you can't change the past, only seek to make the future better."

"You're all being quite open with us," Minerva was seeking to change the subject, the young woman didn't look much older than one of her seventh years, she was too young for such regrets. "I wouldn't have thought you'd trust us this much, you've only just met us." Everyone noticed the conversation change but nobody commented, there were shadows haunting every face now and everyone wanted to banish them for another day.

"Heero and Quatre trust you," the answer to the implied question came from Dorothy, "that's enough for us, even when we weren't working together, it was an honour to be fighting against the pilots, now we have the honour of fighting with them and we have never doubted their word, either time."

"You have a lot of respect for them."

Sally met the old man's eyes, blue and heavy with regret. "When we look at the things they've survived and what they did for us and mankind despite betrayal, impossible odds and the fact that they're only fifteen, it's impossible not to respect them. We fear them of course, at times, we'd be fools not to but we also trust them not to hurt us, not to compromise themselves and to always work for what they believe in. We know they'd never hurt us and we trust them completely, we care for them for who they are and because of what they've done, _not_ despite that and the mistakes that they've made. We're still wary though, they are dangerous, and ignoring that will get a lot of people killed. You should never underestimate your enemies but that works just as well for your allies."

"How much do you know?" Noin spoke up, "how much do you know about the world we lived in?"

"I thought we'd gotten the basics but I think we're missing a lot." Severus admitted.

Relena grinned suddenly, her sunny smile helping to wash away the remnants of the gloom as she bounced to her feet, "does anyone fancy disturbing them so they can explain what's going on?"

The 'are you crazy?' looks she received from the majority of people in the room only made her grin widen, "just asking!" She held her hands up in surrender and then yelped slightly as Dorothy pulled her down into her lap. "I guess we're waiting till they finish then."

"What do you think they're _doing_ in there?" The quiet murmur brought everyone back to the first question and a speculative hush fell over the room as they wondered.

**End Chapter 6**

Sorry to end it here but it was such a natural stopping point I really couldn't ignore it, not as long as the previous chapter but please review all the same.


	7. Chapter 7

AN Much longer chapter and a much longer wait to go with it –winces- I am so sorry but RL has really been busy lately. Anyway hope the longer chapter makes up for it and I can practically guarantee that the next chapter won't be as long a wait, and I know I've said that before too… but here's hoping. 

OK, answer to a question posed in a review by Wolf, this showed up as a HP/DM because they are two of the main characters in this fic, thanks so much to you and everyone else who reviewed, I swear reviews make my day.

As always thanks for reading, I get the feeling I don't say that nearly enough.

Disclaimer/Summary/Rating – Please see first chapter

**A Place in Time **

**Chapter 7**

"What's this about Yuy?" Wufei questioned in annoyance as he quickly warded the small room.

Much to his chagrin he was ignored and instead Duo turned to Quatre and whispered. "Maybe we should bring Sal in here too, if nothing else she should be able to tranquillise him once he finds out."

Quatre frowned, clearly seriously considering the suggestion.

"I don't need a minder Maxwell!" He spluttered in annoyance, "now will somebody please tell those of us who don't know, namely Barton and I, what the hell is going on?"

"I'm in love with Zechs and Treize."

Silence.

"Sorry, what was that?" Wufei asked weakly.

"I said I'm in love with Zechs and Treize."

Trowa's eye widened and Wufei's jaw dropped.

"Well," Duo muttered, rolling his eyes, "that was blunt, nothing like breaking it to them gently is there and that was _nothing_ like breaking it to them gently…"

Heero didn't turn to look at him; he kept his gaze centred on the two pilots who were watching him without blinking.

"You mean that was true?" Wufei's voice was getting louder with each word, "You mean that wasn't a joke? That was _true_? You're in love with _ZECHS MARQUISE AND TREIZE KHUSHRENADA!"_

"How long?" Trowa's quiet voice broke in for the first time in the conversation.

"Since the beginning, I stopped seeing them though, on August first."

"The day after you became Harry," Duo murmured under his breath suddenly making the connection.

"You _stopped_ seeing them! You were together in the first place in _order_ to be able to stop seeing them!" Wufei's' face was getting redder and his eyes were getting angrier.

"I think we should get Sally." Quatre agreed with Duo's former statement.

"I'm _fine_ Winner!"

"Wufei, how did you feel when you first met Duo?" Heero interrupted.

Unwillingly Wufei's eyes moved from Heero to the braided boy he loved more than anything else in the world. "That's not the same," he snapped, tearing his gaze from the violet eyes back to Heero

"Yes it is. How much do you know about soulmates?" Heero's prussian blue eyes were boring into him and all of a sudden Wufei couldn't look away.

"Enough," he snapped again, defensively, "I did some research when you and Quatre first mentioned…" He broke off suddenly, understanding and disbelief dawning on his face. "But you're not saying? You and…"

Heero nodded, "with one minor difference," his eyes glittered coldly and Wufei frowned, it almost looked like he was fighting tears but that was impossible, right? "You got to propose to your soulmate, I got to kill one of mine and watch you kill the other."

While Wufei obviously tried to deal with that piece of information Trowa turned to look at his blonde lover with an unreadable expression on his face.

"You knew about this, I take it."

Quatre met Trowa's eyes, a sudden, fearful expression in his own. "Trowa I…"

"Quatre… I don't think I want to hear it. You knew this could endanger us and you didn't say anything. It doesn't matter that everything worked out you put all of us in danger, you should have told us, we probably would have understood. It's not like Heero was going to tell us, he trusts about as much as I do."

Quatre's eyes widened in horror as his lover turned away from him, wincing at the none-so-subtle reminder of how hard it had been to gain his partner's trust.

Trowa's eyes glanced over Heero's and he stopped and looked at him calculatingly. "Congratulations I guess Yuy, you deserve someone you can love, you should have told us but I understand why you didn't. I hope you'll be happy with them." He gave an unconvincing half-smile at Heero's expression. "I saw you after the battle, in the hospital bay on Peacemillion, you didn't look too good, you must really care about someone who can get that kind of reaction from you."

Heero coughed and then changed the subject. "You staying?"

"I…"

"Don't leave," Quatre broke in sounding desperate, "You don't have to stay with me, speak to me or even _look_ at me but don't leave." Trowa didn't move. "_Please_ Trowa!"

Still not looking at the Sandrock pilot he turned to Heero who nodded and snapped his fingers. Instantly a house elf appeared blinking in surprise.

When he noticed the occupants of the room he dropped into a hurried and low bow.

"Dobby is sorry sirs but he never noticed you in the room sirs, Dobby will…"

Hurriedly cutting him off before the elf could get too carried away Heero spoke to him, "Dobby I need a favour."

The little creature's eyes widened until they were impossibly large, "But of course sir, anything that Dobby is being able to do for the great Mr. Harry Heero Yuy Potter sir, Dobby will be doing."

"I need you to sort out the rooms for the people in this room and the people in the next room, Lady Une, Sally and Noin will need one each, Relena and Dorothy will need one, one for Duo and Wufei… and a separate ones for each Trowa and Quatre."

The elf's eyes widened even further in confusion but, like any good house elf, he didn't question his orders. His eyes unfocussed briefly for a second and then he burst into tears.

All the pilots stared.

"What's wrong with him," Duo hissed out the side of his mouth.

Heero shrugged and, approaching the wailing Dobby cautiously he asked the same question.

"Wrong?" the eyes looking up at him were incredulous, "nothing is wrong Mr. Harry Heero Yuy Potter Sir, nothing can be wrong on the day that you, of all people sir, entrusted your friends to Dobby…"

Quickly he moved to hug the knees of a startled Heero tightly and then flashed away, still sobbing loudly.

"But…" Duo's voice was bemused, "He's looked after us before, it's not like this is the first time we've been here, what's he on about."

"That's the way he's reacted every time I've asked him to take care of you, he's just always disappeared before I could find out why he was crying." Heero's answer was full of dry humour and when he'd finished all of the pilots turned back to look at the place where the elf had disappeared.

"House elves are weird," Duo remarked convincedly. Heero nodded and Duo laughed, slightly uneasily, partly due to amusement and partly to break the tension in the room, it didn't work. Luckily a bubble appeared in the air suddenly that announced that Trowa's usual rooms were ready and that the guest quarters were being prepared for 'Mister Draco Quatre Winner Malfoy Sir'.

"Good service," Trowa commented.

"We get the best, Heero said quietly, watching the blue bubble shrink and then disappear. "Trowa, do you want to stay for the explanation or should we tell you later?"

Still carefully not watching the blonde who was obviously working to prevent himself from reaching out and holding onto him Trowa turned and walked out the room, closing the door behind him. Heero turned to follow but Wufei snatched at his jacket sleeve.

"Hang on a minute Yuy, I still have to talk to you, I'll listen to what's happened when you tell Barton later but now, I have some things I need answered."

Heero didn't say anything but he stopped and looked at both the other pilots, Duo, who's worried gaze was alternating between an, obviously heartbroken blonde who was still staring after his lover, and the two of them. He nodded though.

"Ok, Q and I will do the talking thing but no bloodshed in here, 'k 'Fei?"

Wufei dipped his head and, biting his lip, Duo left the room, pulling a desolate Quatre after him.

* * *

After he finished watching the door swing shut behind the others Heero turned back to Wufei. "Look…"

He was caught off guard by the fist that came swinging down to meet his face, surprised but not losing his composure he winced slightly and tentatively reached up to pat around his eye, there'd be a lovely bruise before too long.

"Ok, I deserved that."

Abruptly Wufei snatched his wrist and jerked it, forcing him to look at him.

"Oh you deserve a lot more than that Yuy but I promised Duo that there wouldn't be any blood shed, I'm not going to go back on that, I just had to hit you once or…"

"I know…"

"Do you? Really?"

Heero looked at him, he'd been betrayed yes, but never by someone he really trusted. "No, not really... Do you know what _I_ went through when I realised that I loved them?"

"You expect me to feel sorry for you?"

"No. Just ask yourself this; what would you have done if Duo had been on OZ's side when you'd met him?"

Wufei bit back the natural response that said he would never have behaved in the same manner as Heero had done, as he actually begun to consider the question, if there was one thing he wasn't it was a liar.

Sensing his hesitation Heero gave him a sad smile.

Wufei groaned, letting his head fall back, smacking the wall he was leaning against it the process.

"Why don't you tell me what's been happening round here recently."

* * *

The quietly speculating members of the room all looked up at the sound of the door opening.

Face completely blank, Trowa Barton walked through the room quickly and left the Room of Requirement.

Worried, Minerva made to stand up but the five shaking heads of the females in the room deterred her. It wasn't that they didn't look worried, quite the contrary all five of them looked like they were about a second away from jumping up and hugging the stoic teenager.

They watched as he nodded once to her and the other Professors before continuing to walk out the room.

"Do you think he's ok?"

"Did he look ok?" Dorothy turned to stare at her lover.

"No."

"Then there's your answer, now the question is what the hell's happening in that room?"

Eight sets of eyes swivelled back to the door that was looking so innocent.

Shortly it opened again, Duo was pulling, an almost lifeless, Quatre with him and alternating between looking worriedly at his blonde friend, worriedly out the door Trowa had vanished through and worriedly back in the room. The expression didn't really seem to fit his cheerful face.

"Where are Wufei and Heero?" Sally knew better than to ask about Trowa.

"Having a little chat." Duo answered shortly. "Now. Q here is gonna explain what the hell's been happening round here and then we're all gonna go to bed and talk about it in the morning."

As if on cue a blue bubble appeared in the air again, announcing that Queen Relena and Princess Dorothy's room was ready as well as Miss Noin's.

"Good, I wish it would stop calling me queen though." Relena remarked. All eyes turned to her and she shrugged, self-consciously. "Usual rooms is it Quatre?"

"I don't know about that." Dorothy murmured, amused, "I quite like being considered a princess."

Duo rolled his eyes at the teasing, hinting tone of voice before answering the question. "Yeah 'Lena," He replied, "should be anyway. Now Quatre I thing that's your cue, everyone here's tired and is seriously ready for some sleep but I think we should hear this tonight…"

The blonde looked up, his eyes were tired, "ok, to cut a long story short…"

* * *

"So let me get this straight. Zechs and Treize just appeared, as in fell-out-of-the-sky appeared, after being dead a month, in their battle clothes and with their mobile suits still in tact, or as intact as they were after the battle anyway." Wufei's disbelieving face was staring at Heero, "I know that's gotta be true cos if you were gonna make something up than I know you could have done a lot better job than that… At least I seriously hope you could have done a lot better than that..."

* * *

"…And that's basically it."

"Incredible… and it could only happen to us couldn't it." Duo snorted in wry amusement and shook his head. "I tell ya, this is not what I was expecting when I signed up for the whole gundam gig."

"But since when have our lives ever been normal?" Dorothy muttered.

Duo pretended to think about it, "Not anytime as far back as I can remember."

Dorothy gave a small smile and then a yawn. "God, sorry."

"No need to apologize, it is late and if I know you then you've had no sleep last night either, am I right."

Relena blushed but Dorothy leered right back at him, "you're right but unfortunately not about the reason why, Relena and I spent the whole of last night going through several years of records of budget cuts."

No one in the room could keep the distaste from playing on their features.

"Well that sounds like fun" Duo remarked sarcastically.

"Oh it is I assure you, unfortunately we're just too busy to sleep so if you wouldn't mind I think we'll take our leave. Send us a wakeup call tomorrow and Lena can go and see her brother and I'll go see my cousin." Her eyes narrowed suddenly, "I kinda hope he's awake, I want to have a serious chat with him about trying to kill family members, namely me. Night then."

Laughing slightly at the, now commonplace, expressions of shock on the Professor's faces she stood up, pushing her girlfriend off her lap gently before they both walked from the room. Followed closely by Noin who also bade the others goodnight.

"Night everyone," Relena called over her shoulder, "thank you for your hospitality Professors."

"Hospitality?" Severus questioned suddenly. "And what did she mean by usual rooms?

"Um… Yeah, look…" Duo looked uneasy all of a sudden. "We've all been here before, some of us have been coming here since September, either for a place to lie low or just to get a rest, some of us have been coming more recently like Dorothy and Une but this isn't the first time any of us have been here. In fact we've been here before so many times we've all got our own rooms... and speaking of rooms I think that you should be getting back to yours Quatre."

Silently the blonde acquiesced to the brunette's gently worded order. All eyes worriedly watched him exit the room.

"You don't think he's going to do something stupid do you?" Sally remarked suddenly.

All eyes turned to Duo, who seemed to be the best one to answer the cautious question. "What? You mean like slit his wrists or AK himself or something? Nah, Q wouldn't do that… I'll put some monitoring spells up though, just in case. It's a good job he's staying in the guest quarters, it'll be easier to bug than the dorm room would have been"

Sally, as well as the others, looked relieved. "Thank you."

"No probs Sal."

The blue bubble appeared again, announcing this time that the remaining rooms were ready.

Sally waited till it had finished listing their names and had winked out before she continued. "Just one thing. What happened?"

"Can't tell ya yet, soon but not yet, it all depends on what we decide to do after all and on how badly 'Fei decides to react."

Unconvinced but nodding anyway Sally too stood up, nodding at the Professors and leaving the room.

The only ones left now were Lady Une, Duo and Severus, Minerva and Albus.

"Lady…" Duo prompted gently.

"You don't think you will do you? Kill them I mean."

Duo blinked, startled, "I shouldn't have thought so Une, not if Heero has anything to say about it anyway."

Much to his surprise she smiled slyly, "I'd been wondering about them, I was right then?"

"That depends on what you mean by 'right'."

"I think you know what I mean, how have the other's taken it?"

Grimacing he answered her, "as far as I'm aware 'Fei's expressing his aversion towards the situation right now. Q already knew and Tro's more concerned with the fact that Q knew and didn't tell us. Anyway, why don't you care, I mean I can understand now but before when you were… I mean…"

"When I was the Colonel," she enquired. Embarrassed, he nodded. "Even then all I wanted was for him to be happy, after all," her eyes hardened suddenly. "I knew he wouldn't betray OZ, and if he did it was over for us anyway, if, on the other hand, he got his fool self killed as a consequence of hooking up with the enemy then it's his own fault isn't it?"

"Er… if you say so Lady."

"I do."

"Erm… ok then... Colonel…?"

"Relax," she laughed suddenly, seemingly more at ease now she knew that her friends weren't facing imminent death. "I'm not going to try anything, you can sleep safe tonight, I promise, night Duo, night Professors."

As she swept out of the room elegantly every eye followed her. Then, suddenly she turned round. "Oh and Maxwell, I'll give you a bit of a break because of this but I still expect a mission report by tomorrow night." Then she was gone.

"That woman is evil." Duo muttered. "I spend years, _years_, having, 'do not leave any records, if you leave a paper trail you'll wake up dead' drummed into my head and then she's in charge for a month and she's got me filling in little ticky-box forms. I'm a terrorist I do not do 'little ticky-box forms'… Anyway, how are you all feeling? You've all been pretty quiet but than again this has to have been a real culture shock for all of you."

Surprised by the sudden redirection of the conversation none were ready for the question.

"Er…"

"I think it has but I also think we'll get used to it," Severus interjected smoothly over his female companion, "and as for being quiet. I think we realised we'd learn more tonight by just listening to you than by getting involved."

"You're right, you probably did learn more and about getting used to them," he grew serious all of a sudden, "to be honest I don't think you have much of a choice if you want them to stay here, you have to understand though that they're not the ones you knew, they've seen things that I'll wager none of you could even imagine."

"I think I agree with you," The soft words from the Headmaster made every eye in the room turn to him, including those of the two who had just entered form the back door, "I don't know what I was expecting but this wasn't it, you're just children. All of you, you shouldn't have those shadows behind your eyes."

"That would depend on what you consider a child, I don't think you're determining age the same way we do, yes we look like teenagers but we're mentally ancient."

Wufei spoke up from the door and Duo spun round, jumping to his feet, rushing closer and assessing both, searching for any injuries. His eyes lingered on Heero's black eye and he frowned disapprovingly.

"You said…"

"…No blood, I know. But I didn't hit him that hard and there has been no blood spilled, it could have been worse."

Duo didn't look happy, "but… Yeah, yeah ok, thanks for not flying off 'Fei."

"I promised didn't I?"

"Yeah, you did."

"You two should get some rest," Heero's voice broke into their conversation. "Go to bed, I'll see you tomorrow when we get to show the Professors just how dangerous we are now, nothing like a demonstration is there?"

Duo laughed lightly, "no there's not, I think you're right though, see you tomorrow Yuy, oh, I've got some monitoring spells on Quatre by the way."

The frown that none of them had really noticed lessened slightly at this.

"He'll be fine, Trowa will forgive him. He loves him." Gratefully Duo turned to look at his lover.

"Thanks Fei, I think I needed to hear that."

"Bed, now!"

"Okay, okay. Night Heero."

"Night Yuy."

"Night."

As the two left Heero turned to look at his old Professors, finding it hard to believe that life really could change so much in twenty-four hours.

"Are you not going to bed?" Minerva enquired politely, undeniably wary of one of her favourite students.

Heero met her eyes and, with relief, she noticed flecks of green in their cobalt depths that she hadn't seen before; Harry was still in there, albeit changed but he was still in there.

"I'll be spending tonight in the hospital wing," noting the expressions he frowned, "well someone has to sit with them."

"Yes, someone does, just in case they wake up but it's more than that isn't it?" Piercing blue eyes locked onto his and Heero double and triple checked the shields around his mind before he replied, feeling slightly gratified at the Headmaster's expression.

"Would that be a problem?"

"No, just a surprise, you've never really seemed to consider it before."

"Things change."

"Yes they do," the absent minded murmur came from Severus and brought all eyes to stare at him, he didn't really seem to realise he'd spoken.

Heero looked away from him and gestured for the Professors to leave.

"Oh Headmaster?"

Albus turned round and froze as he met blisteringly cold eyes. "Yes Ha…Heero?"

"Never try to look through my mind again, in fact don't try that on anyone here, you might not like what you find."

Three Professors watched as their collective student walked out of the door and then, silently, they followed him.

**End Chapter 7**

AN –looks back over chapter- wow, this has to be the longest chapter I've ever written, nearly 4000 words and I'm quite proud of it, not too sure if the reactions are realistic but I don't think they're too bad, please review and tell me what you think.


	8. Chapter 8

AN Well, this chapter was unbelievably hard work, yet up in about a third of the time it too the last one to appear, I'm still not completely sure about this, especially the opening scene but I though I'd post it anyway, please tell me what you think, this is unlike anything I've ever written before. Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter. Also my Trowa in this chapter is more open than he usually is, I figure of all the people in the group he would trust Heero and Quatre the most and since he can't talk to Quatre, this is Trowa opening up to Heero.

Summary/Rating/Disclaimer - Please see chapter 1

**A Place in Time**

**Chapter 8**

Duo had been asleep for about three hours when the alarm from the monitoring spell he'd placed on Quatre went off. Leaping out of bed and to his feet he quickly spelled on some clothes and sprinted out the door, closely followed by Wufei.

Wufei could hear Duo's muttered prayers that the young blonde be alright as he shot down the corridor outside their room that was bathed in the early morning light. It was probably about six thirty. Tearing past closed doors he saw Relena and Dorothy's, Noin's, Une's, He hesitated when he reached Sally's and then Trowa's but realised that, if he was overreacting, Quatre probably wouldn't want them involved. Plus he'd been to see Trowa earlier, the Latin teenager had expressly informed him that he wished to be alone, he wasn't sure if this counted but if there was a serious problem he could always wake him later.

Reaching the end of the corridor he ripped the door that led to Quatre's room open, or at least he tried to, the door was magically sealed and soundproofed, it didn't budge.

"Come _on_ Quatre! He yelled.

Wufei arrived a second later and, acting in unison, he and his lover fired all their magic at the door, it blasted open and a heart-breaking violin solo poured out.

Frowning in confusion they both moved into the room, following the noise.

They found Quatre, eyes closed, playing alone in the middle of the floor.

The only thing that was running faster that the tears down the pale cheeks was the blood that was dripping onto the stones under his feet.

The red liquid was running down the neck of the instrument from his tattered fingers and was landing on the floor. The bow moved faster and faster and each of them could see the torn skin from where he'd been playing and playing and playing.

"Quatre…" Duo whispered hesitantly, "don't you think you should stop now?"

In response the pitch increased until the movement of his fingers and bow blurred they were moving so fast, the blood was running in a steady stream now, pooling on the ground under the violin.

"Quatre…"

Abruptly the playing crescendoed and then stopped, Quatre's entire body was shaking, the instrument, slippery from the red liquid slid from his fingers and nearly hit the ground, abruptly Wufei snatched at it, saving it.

Quatre didn't even appear to notice. The blood was still running and now, with the absence of the violin, Duo could see that Quatre had, indeed, played until his fingers were raw, the skin and what looked like much of the flesh of his fingers was gone, deep rivulets cut into the pads of his fingers of his left hand from the strings of the instrument.

Hesitantly he stepped forwards and took the shuddering blonde in his arms.

"Allah, what have I done?"

Duo rubbed the Arabian's back soothingly as he murmured nonsense into his ear.

* * *

His fingers healed and bandaged, to protect the fresh skin. Quatre looked up from the cup of tea that had just been placed in his visage to the Chinese boy who was holding it out like an offering.

Mumbling his thanks he took the cup gingerly, holding the cup with his palms and avoiding touching his fingers with it. He sipped at it gratefully, savouring the taste.

Duo walked into the room, bringing with him the strong smell of coffee, he was holding two cups, one of which he handed to his lover, the second of which he downed and then magically refilled.

"Sorry I woke you up," Quatre offered quietly.

Duo frowned, "You don't have to be sorry Q, I'm just wondering what you were doing that for? I mean I knew you were upset but do you honestly think that Trowa isn't going to forgive you?"

"That makes it worse, I don't deserve to be forgiven, what I did put all of team in us in jeopardy and I'm just as guilty of betrayal as Heero was." He looked up at them again, "I _am_ sorry by the way. I don't know what I was thinking."

"That you wanted to protect a friend, that it wasn't your secret to tell?" Wufei suggested. "Yes you should have said something but… you can't change the past and it's not like Heero betrayed us, if he had done then you would have had to die along with him but he didn't, you didn't make too big of a mistake."

"Way to reassure him 'Fei." Duo muttered. "But seriously Q, what was that about?"

"I…" suddenly the Arabian looked a lot smaller that Duo remembered. "I just, couldn't stand it, it hurt too much, I endangered you all, Trowa was… And I was all alone and I knew there wasn't anyone coming, no one was coming, I just had to…" He broke off, an expression of desperation and misery on his face as he willed them to understand.

They did, both knew that sometimes physical pain was easier to deal with, it was the last thing they'd expected the tactile 04 to admit to but, with hindsight's knowledge, his feeling this way made the most sense.

In a silent display of understanding and solidarity Duo sat down next to Quatre on the couch and, mindful of the teacup, wrapped his arms around the teenager.

* * *

Heero looked up as Trowa entered silently, "couldn't sleep?" he asked.

In response the banged pilot shook his head and dropped into a chair next to Heero. "So this is them then?"

"Yeah, this is them."

"Are they going to be alright?"

"Yes, they should be anyway and speaking of being alright how are you feeling?"

"I'm not ill Heero."

"Yeah I know, it would be better if you were ill wouldn't it?"

"It's not… Quatre… I don't know."

"Yeah but we all make mistakes, Quatre's not infallible, he's human. Trowa, if you'd found out during the war, if Quatre had told you, do you think they'd still be alive?"

Trowa shrugged, "I didn't think they were alive now up until a few hours ago, If we'd found out as soon as he did I think they would have died immediately, if he'd told us after you found out about the soulmates thing then… I don't know, maybe, maybe not. In truth Heero I'm not so bothered about him endangering us because I firmly believed then as I believe now that Zechs and Treize are honourable men. It just hurts that he didn't tell me."

"You going to forgive him?"

"I love him, more than anything, he's the reason I'm still alive, the reason I live. Of course I'm going to forgive him, I just don't know how long it will take, a lot depends on circumstance now. If he realises what he's done."

Seeing his reluctance to discuss the topic further Heero changed the subject.

"How about I tell you what's going on then?"

"Go ahead, unless you're too tired, in which case…"

"No, I'm fine, well, it's like this…"

* * *

"Unbelievable."

"Not really, just highly improbably."

"Unbelievable."

"If you say so."

Heero nodded tiredly, Trowa noticed. "Look, why don't you get some sleep? I was on a different continent to the other and you and I was just waking up when Duo rang, so for me it's still only about two in the afternoon. You on the other hand have been up for well over twenty-four hours and if I know you, you haven't been sleeping much." Sensing the slight wariness coming from Heero he tried again, "I won't hurt them, I promise I'll look after them."

Sensing the truth in his words Heero leaned back in the chair, closing his eyes, ordering himself to fall asleep.

He woke up not long later to the sound of Duo, Wufei and Quatre entering the room.

Freezing and pretending that he was still asleep he assessed the situation cautiously, he wasn't sure how the situation with Quatre and Trowa was going to play out but it never hurt to be careful.

"God Quatre what did you do to yourself?"

Trowa sounded horrified and, opening his eyes a sliver, he could see why. The Arab's hands were bandaged tightly and he was holding them carefully, so as not to knock them.

The blonde smiled tentatively, "would you believe me if I said it was a violin?"

The question was asking about more than the violin.

Trowa looked at him, seeing the apologies clear in the sapphire eyes, he knew in that moment that his boyfriend was desperately, desperately sorry and that he genuinely realised that he'd made a mistake.

"I'd believe you."

Quatre's smile could have been used as a substitute for the sun but it was clear he knew he still had a lot of making up to do.

"I think we have some talking to do if you'll excuse us, don't wake Heero, he needs the sleep."

With that the two exited the room and Duo breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God for that, I think that was one of the longest fights they've ever had."

"Shush."

"You honestly think he's not awake?"

"I'm awake"

"See," Duo smirked, "told ya."

"What's the time?"

"Erm… about half past seven, how long you been asleep?"

"About fifteen minutes."

"And you went to sleep when Trowa got here?" Wufei asked.

"About an hour after."

"He must have just missed us then," Duo dropped into a seat. "Cos at about half six we were pelting down the corridor after the monitoring alarms we had set on Q went off, he played the violin till there was blood running down it."

"Why didn't the alarm go off before?"

"Cos I set it for a certain amount of blood, wanted to make sure he hadn't just cut himself shaving or ripped a hang nail or something before we barrelled in, guns blazing. Scared the shit outta me hearing that thing start to blare. I can tell you."

"I can imagine."

Duo smiled and then turned towards Zechs and Treize, nodding as he did so. "So how are they then?"

"They're fine, Madame Pomfrey says they will be, they're in a healing coma to let their bodies and minds get some rest but other than that…"

"You must be relieved."

"Am I? I don't know, I don't think it's sunk in yet, I just can't believe…" He broke off, taking a deep breath, a trifle uneasy about showing this much emotion, even if it was around Duo and Wufei, Harry had really become part of him but even he had been wary about too many feelings being exposed.

"I just can't really believe they're alright you know? I didn't think I was ever going to see them again, I thought they were gone and now they're not, now they're here and it's just…"

Wufei put a hand on his shoulder and then coughed uncomfortably, removing it. "Did you take something for that eye?" He asked, trying to cover up the moment.

Heero looked vaguely surprised, "What…? No." Then he sighed in realisation. "The black eye's gone hasn't it?"

Wufei nodded and Duo grinned.

"Yup, it's gone but I wouldn't complain Hee-chan, there are worse things than having injuries heal within a few hours, less than that if I know you."

"I suppose."

"No suppose about it. Hmmm," he mused, "I wonder if that works for the rest of us, I mean I know we've been here injured and have healed but we've always been quick healers so was that magic or natural ability?"

"You could always test it."

"Duo turned to look at his fiancé in shock, "if you think I'm gonna be shooting and stabbing myself to see whether I heal quicker here or in the future then you are sadly mistaken Wuffers."

"Shooting and stabbing yourself doesn't sound like the best idea in any circumstances let alone for tests." All three boys looked up to see Lady Une framed in the doorway, "I would very much prefer my agents to be ready to go at all times thank you very much."

"Morning Lady." Duo cajoled charmingly, "look, about that report…"

"I want it done Maxwell, no mistakes, no excuses."

"I can give you a verbal just as easy; Target dead, body's at HQ, no other injuries to either myself or him, no damage to property except the guy'll probably be needing a new carpet, blood's a murder to get out of cream, no pun intended, but then again, I don't suppose that'll be his main concern now huh?"

Wufei and Heero both rolled their eyes and Duo's pleading expression was steadfastly ignored by Une, her face clearly saying that she wanted the report soon. She swept past them to see her friends, hiding a smile as Heero stood, protectively, at her approach.

She did, however, recognise the dangers of not reassuring a gundam pilot that she had no violent intentions towards the men he was in love with and in response she held up her hands.

"I won't hurt them, either of them, I swear, I just want to see them."

Heero looked at her for a second; there was a completely blank expression on his face yet she still knew he was evaluating the truth of her statement.

She stood perfectly still, she may have been his superior but she still knew that if he decided that she posed any threat then she wouldn't have time to scream.

Evidently finding what he was looking for he nodded and she walked past him, gently placing a hand on his arm as she did so.

Seeing the two for the first time in over a month was such a relief she fought the tears that were threatening to fall. Thank God, they really were alright.

When she was sure she could speak she turned back to the others in the room, Heero was staring at his lovers, Wufei was pointedly looking at the wall but Duo was watching her and she smiled, a little self-consciously.

"I just…" She cleared her throat awkwardly, "I just wanted to see if they were alright, I'm leaving today, I have to go back for another meeting with the colony delegates, Relena, Dorothy and Lucrezia are supposed to be coming with me so unless they've changed their minds you should expect to see them here soon." She walked towards the door and then paused, apparently remembering something.

"Sally, I think, is staying until she's looked at them but after that I've told her I want her back at HQ, just in case. And as for you… you can all stay but if there's a mission and I call you I will be expecting a response, you are not on leave yet… And don't think I've forgotten that report Maxwell, I still want it by the end of the day, pop back and email it to me if you can't get it to me by the time I leave, whatever you do I expect to see it by midnight, Earth-Sphere Standard Time."

Grumbling Duo nodded as did Wufei and Heero as she turned to exit the room and then stopped again, "I might as well wait for them I guess, it'll be easier than trying to find them later."

A few minutes later, true to Lady Une's words, the door opened.

"Good morning. Are we interrupting?" Relena's hesitant voice broke the moment as she; Dorothy and Noin entered the room.

"Don't be ridiculous princess." Duo bounced out of his seat, beckoning both into the room.

"They're alive." Dorothy's tone of wonderment broke the silence, "I think that's just starting to sink in."

Noin was just staring, she couldn't really believe that her brother was still alive, she'd seen him die, she'd seen him blown up. 'Oh you'd better have some good answers for me when you wake up Zechs,' she thought, but she didn't say anything, words could wait until he was awake again.

"Oh Mill, what were you thinking?" Relena was watching her brother sadly, "what did you think it would accomplish?"

"Exactly what it did," Heero's voice broke in, defending Zechs' actions, "peace, he thought it would accomplish peace, we have peace, though not necessarily by the means he was originally imagining but we still have it and it is still a direct result of his actions."

"I'm assuming we're telling no one about this," Dorothy changed the subject smoothly, sensing the awkward topic.

"No one." Both Heero and Une spoke the words together but it was Heero who continued them.

"Not until we've decided what to do, not until we've spoken to them, asked them about this."

Studying Heero thoughtfully Relena eventually nodded. "Anyway we've a meeting soon so I think we'll be taking off, any changes and I want to know, understand?"

"Perfectly."

Checking her watch Relena winced, "We really should have been gone hours ago. Tell Trowa, Quatre and Sally we said goodbye."

As the four women left, talking quietly about travel arrangements Duo turned back to Wufei and Heero, the room quiet once again.

"Well there's been no blood spilt yet, so far so good, right?"

**End Chapter 8**

AN -Winces- well, still not really happy with this, anyway, don't know how long it will be until the next update because I'm off to Rome with no laptop, hopefully wont be too long though -grins wickedly- sex scene next chapter, though you'll have to go to mediaminer or adultfanfiction to read the uncut version.


	9. Chapter 9

AN –Grins sheepishly- Hiya everyone, I am soooo sorry how long this took to get out but I've had coursework, exams, course essays… and on top of that I actually managed to catch the _chickenpox_! Still haven't worked out how yet but never mind, I'm over it now, even if it has tripled my work load. Anyway, there are two versions of this chapter, the PG-13 version and the NC-17 version, obviously that one isn't up here but it will be up on adultfan, mediaminer and the MLs I subscribe to, If something happens and you can't access these sites feel free to email me and I'll email you the NC17 version. And on that note… here's the next chapter, hope it was worth the wait, feel free to R&R. 

Summary/Rating/Disclaimer please see the first chapter

**A Place in Time**

**Chapter 9**

"Quatre what did you think you were doing?"

"I…"

"Well?"

"I don't know it's just Heero and Zechs and…"

I didn't mean that, I meant what were you thinking doing this," he held up the bandaged fingers carefully."

"Oh… I… One minute I was playing and the next… Duo and Wufei are bursting into the room looking panic stricken. I didn't even notice them at first and then there was blood and you weren't there and… I didn't know what to do."

Trowa buried his face in his hands, "I _was_ going to forgive you, you know. You made a mistake, we _all_ do that, I was just a bit hurt you didn't think you could trust me enough to tell me and think that I wouldn't just react without thinking about it first."

"I know you were going to forgive me, my heart was telling me so but it also knew how much you were hurting, you're not used to keeping things from me Trowa so I can always tell how you're feeling. I didn't deserve to be forgiven, I'd hurt you, I promised not to and I did."

"Who did you make that promise to? Quatre that's a promise that's near impossible to keep, we're bound to fight every so often, we're not going to agree all the time."

"I promised myself. I knew you'd been hurt and I didn't want you to hurt again when I could help it I did though, I'm so sorry Trowa."

"Oh Quatre," Trowa pulled his lover into his arms and rocked him slowly, just as Duo had done earlier. "I'm sorry I left you, I should have remembered you don't react well to that but I was…"

"Don't apologise, you have _nothing_ to be forgiven for, you _didn't do anything wrong_."

"It all worked out in the end for all of us, including Heero so you can stop beating yourself up. In the future just if anything that affects the rest of us happens in the future… trust us enough to say something ok?"

"I promise. I love you Trowa, you know that, right?"

"Yeah… look, your hands… it's not that bad is it?"

Quatre held up his hands cautiously and looked at them, "I don't think so, in fact I think once they're fine now, Duo and Wufei healed them after all. To be honest I think the bandages are there just in case I tried it again.

Trowa sighed in relief and slowly began to unwrap the abused digits, kissing each finger in relief as it appeared, unscathed.

Quatre sighed happily and the tender caresses and murmured under his breath contentedly.

Smiling, Trowa gently moved from the slender hands to kiss Quatre's neck, the blonde moaned happily and tilted his head, giving his green-eyed lover better access. Slowly Trowa began his descent down the blonde's neck and across his throat, hands moving to begin undoing the shirt buttons as he did so…

-----------------

"Now _that_," the blonde murmured satiated, "was incredible."

Trowa just nodded and wrapped his arms around his waist, holding him close and, not having the energy to do anything else, his eyes fluttered shut, exhausted, from the day, the lack of sleep and the workout.

Quatre looked up and a tender expression appeared on his face as he registered the closed eyes and deep breathing, "Love you Trowa and I really am sorry."

Momentarily green eyes opened again and he smiled, "love you too, so much and I know you are, it's ok."

------------------

"I hate hospitals."

"That's the third time you've said that in fifteen minutes."

"Yeah well I do." Duo slumped in his chair, "I hate them, I hate them, I hate them."

"We know." Wufei didn't look up from his book, "why don't you do something?"

"Like what?" Duo seemed eager suddenly, "what could I do?"

"You could go type up that mission report," Heero suggested casually. Duo shot him a dirty look. "Well you could, she wants it in Duo and you've haven't got too long to do it, you might as well get on with it."

"But I hate mission reports, almost as much as I hate hospitals. You can't tell me you like them Heero, Wufei?"

"What are you talking about?" Wufei marked his page in his book, clearly recognising that he wasn't going to get any reading done while Duo was in this mood. "Mission reports or hospitals?"

"Both," Duo glowered.

"Then I can tell you I don't like them, either of them, but hospitals are necessary and so are mission reports or at least Une thinks so and she's the one we have to report to at the end of the day…"

"Fine." Realising that he wasn't going to win this argument and that if he kept up then he and Wufei were probably going to end up arguing Duo turned to go. "I'm getting my laptop," He called over his shoulder, "I'll be back soon."

"I think he's forgotten it's daytime, he's bound to run into some students." Wufei muttered thoughtfully as he watched his lover leave.

Heero turned to look at the Chinese pilot, mentally weighing out the probability of Duo running into anyone and the consequences if he did. "Maybe not, it's still only eight, there aren't that many student who'll be up early as it's a Saturday, those who are, are probably already in the library or the Great Hall getting something to eat."

"Still, Sod's law…"

"Well what harm could it do, we're getting used to seeing new faces, ever since the Ministry acknowledged, even if they haven't actually told anyone yet, that Voldemort was back there's been a lot of new faces around, mainly from people needing to see the Headmaster."

"I'm surprised the minister listened to you to be honest, from what you and Quatre have told me he seems to be a complete imbecile."

"He is, believe me it took nothing less than Quatre oblivating Lucius to forget that he'd been missing a week and then taking advantage of his confusion to force feed him veritaserum and then handing him over to the aurors to make him see that I wasn't lying, after hearing his little confession they had no choice but to believe both him and me."

"The week he'd been missing is the week before you dreamed of how to get back I presume."

"Yes, in hindsight it would have been easier to use the timeturners to go back a week and live it again, that's what we did for the rest of the summer and the beginning of the term after all. At the time though we hadn't actually thought much further than getting back and making sure no one knew we'd been missing, we weren't sure either if a timeturner could be used to go back a whole week, it's just supposed to be used for a few hours at a time. It turns out, obviously, that it could but that's mainly due to the extra magic that can be absorbed from this time after living or existing in the other. That's why we always live the future week first then come back and live this one. It couldn't take much longer that a week though so that's why we ended up flying back to earth and looking for a fireplace during the war."

"I understand that but what stopped Voldemort killing him? From what I understand he isn't the type to let one of his best servants go without at least killing the traitor."

"He's not, luckily he jumped to the conclusion that it was Narcissa who had shopped Lucius and betrayed him, a perfect solution as we couldn't pinpoint her with any one action. This way Lucius has been kissed, Narcissa is dead by her master's hand and Draco gets some leeway until the ministry stops watching him so closely. Since everything was done without Draco's name or my name being mentioned we also have the added bonus that Dumbledore didn't know what was going on either, he knew Lucius had been kissed and Narcissa killed but he had no idea that Draco was responsible and that Harry Potter had given a statement into both that case and the case regarding Voldemort's return."

"Doesn't Voldemort know now then, that the Ministry knows he's returned."

"No, the official story given was that Lucius was kissed for setting loose a Basilisk and for Deatheater activity at the Quidditch World Cup last year, there was more than enough evidence for those charges that the more recent things weren't even needed."

"Didn't the ministry insist in telling Dumbledore what was going on, I mean, you are both only fifteen after all."

"Yes, exactly, we're fifteen and that means we've reached the age of majority in the wizarding world, we can do whatever we want to, vote, leave school, get a job, live on our own… The only reason I'm stuck at the Dursleys is because Dumbledore petitioned the ministry to keep me there until it was safe for me to live elsewhere's and the only reason that the ministry is watching Quatre at all is because they're half expecting Voldemort to attack and half expecting Draco to turn traitor."

"It's a good thing in more ways than that, if you had been younger your evidence wouldn't have counted for so much as it did when you were adults, if you hadn't been they may not have listened to you."

"I know and thank Merlin they did! I don't even want to think about what would have happened, how many more there would have been like Cedric if we hadn't started to move against him already. I think we'd be in serious trouble. Not to mention what Fudge was thinking of employing as a defense teacher, I met her once, not an incident I wish to repeat. As it is we get Remus back and he's much better even with the monthly problems."

"Where is he anyway? I would have thought he'd be one of the ones following you yesterday to see what was going on."

"It was the full moon last night, he might have woken up yet he might not have done but I'm more inclined to him not having done."

"Speaking of him, are you going to tell him."

Heero hesitated, "I don't know…"

"Do you trust him?"

"Yes I do, it's not like he can say anything even when he hasn't got control of his mind and I'd trust him the rest of the time anyway. I do like him as well; he's been like a second godfather to me. It's just… telling him would mean telling Sirius and Sirius still… he still sees me as either my father or a child, I'm neither, in either world. He just doesn't want to accept it."

"You're worried that if he finds out he'll turn you away."

"I guess… maybe… His Harry is a child in many ways, he's innocent and still holds the belief that he can be normal, I don't think that's something that this Harry can pretend to be, no matter how much he may want to be normal."

Wufei nodded and changed the subject sensing that Heero was getting uncomfortable, he'd ask about Ron and Hermione's roles in his life later. "Does that ever get confusing?"

Heero frowned at the change, not completely following Wufei's change of subject. "Does what ever get confusing?"

"That," Wufei gestured, "talking about yourself as though you have three different personalities, Heero, Harry and the two together."

"No, not really, Heero is who I was before, Harry is the celebrity that belongs to this world, although some aspects of his personality have caught on there aren't that many really, who I am now is both together, Heero with hints of Harry, I'm only Harry now when that's how someone's perceiving me. For example I'm still Harry to the Professors, Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape, I will be for a long time, no matter how different I look and act but I'll always be Heero to you, even if I am more open now."

Wufei nodded, "sounds confusing though."

"Yeah…"

**End Chapter 9**

AN Thank you so much for waiting for this and thank you for reading, now, really make my day and review… please.


	10. Chapter 10

**AN **I'm back Baby! Hi everyone, I am soooo sorry this took so long, I know I said I would try to get it up quicker but the exams overtook me anyway here's the new chappie. Hope you like it.

**Summary/Rating/Disclaimer **– Please see first chapter

**Chapter 10**

True to Heero's words hardly any of the students Duo was passing in the corridors gave him more than a second glance and even if they did it was more to do with how he looked than wondering why he was here.

Stepping on another staircase that instantly began to move he sighed, although at other times this could undoubtedly be a lot of fun, when he actually needed to get somewhere it was just annoying. Distractedly he found himself wondering how the students got anywhere on time, none of them were looking slightly perturbed by the sudden change of direction, they were balancing with the ease of long practice and still walking, chatting to each other as they did so.

There were a lot of them for eight in the morning but then again, Heero's spell had knocked them out at about six or seven last night so they'd slept over twelve hours already, maybe, all things considered, he was lucky there weren't more of them.

It was strange, being able to look at so many students like this, nothing like the schools he and the other pilots had frequented during the war as a means of keeping undercover, these students were more… well he wasn't sure but whatever it was they were more of it.

The staircase stopped and he stepped off on to the top landing before groaning as he realised that his ideal destination was now directly opposite him, with no way, he could currently see of, crossing between them. He could have used magic to get across of course but he didn't think a wandless wingardium leviosa would be the best way to stick to Heero's plan of keeping a low profile.

Sighing again he took off down the corridor, trying to get to their set of rooms as fast as possible. He fought the urge to shudder as another set of eyes lingered on him, he didn't know how Heero had been coping. He was feeling uncomfortable and he was nowhere near as bad in public as Heero Yuy was _and_ in this world Heero was a _celebrity_!

Suddenly recognising the way down to the Great Hall he set off, knowing he could get to his rooms from there, when he was passing the door though he spotted four young women walking towards him, talking and laughing amongst themselves. Amusedly he noticed that they'd attracted quite a following, there were several males and females trailing them at a distance and, as they got closer, he could tell by the looks on their faces that all four women had noticed. Their reactions were differing though, Lady Une's response was annoyance, Dorothy's was a typical, calculated wondering of how she could turn this to her advantage, Noin was walking along with an expression of tolerance on her face and Relena was obviously torn between blushing self-consciously and laughing, it was easy to forget sometimes that the young blonde held such an elevated position, she was such a teenager at times.

Stepping out from behind the statue he'd automatically concealed himself behind he couldn't help the sliver of satisfaction as he realised he'd managed to startle them all.

Une sighed, not stopping walking as Duo fell into step with them, turning into the Great Hall, "If this is about that report then…"

Duo looked offended, "No! I was just getting my laptop actually."

"Then why are you in here?" Relena enquired politely, obviously fighting a smile.

"I thought I'd see you lovely ladies off?"

"Flattering as that might be I don't think anyone's gonna fall for that one Maxwell." Noin spoke up next and Duo looked affronted all of a sudden.

"Well, there's nothing like a thank you is there? And that was nothing like a thank you. I don't know, you try to do something nice…"

He broke off at the disbelieving expression on their faces, "Fine the stairs moved ok?"

"That's more believable," Dorothy allowed, as she pulled a container from her pocket and opened it carefully, eyeing the powder inside with a critical air.

"You're not going yet are you."

All five turned to see Albus Dumbledore striding towards him and it was then that they registered the eyes of everyone in the hall on them including the eyes of one Duo vaguely recognised from one of Heero's pictures as Hermione Granger.

"We are," Dorothy answered, "Duo isn't, or at least I don't think he is, we have to though, we've a peace summit in a couple of hours and we're late setting off as it is."

"Very well, I hope we'll be seeing you again soon, Your Majesty, Your Highness, My Lady, Lieutenant."

At these words Duo watched as the eyes of almost every student in the hall almost popped out of their heads, he guessed that visiting royals and nobles were a rarity around here.

"Please," although probably displeased with the acknowledgement of her title Relena showed no signs of it. It was clear that she understood that customs dictated that the Headmaster had to address her that way, "I think I can speak for everyone here when I say the titles are not necessary, Relena is just fine."

He nodded, "and you must call me Albus, all of you, I hope to see you again soon."

"You will be," Une broke in, "we have some serious talks to be giving to two men lying in your hospital wing, we'll be back when they wake up."

"Well please know that Hogwarts is always open to you."

"Thank you, we'll remember that but right now we really do have to go. Goodbye Albus." Dorothy cut in, seeing that Relena was going to speak again, she knew that if her girlfriend got started they were liable to be exchanging political pleasantries all day.

With that and a swirl of blonde hair she was swept away by the fireplace, the others following shortly after her.

Only Relena paused, she set one foot in the grate and hesitated before turning back to the gundam pilot watching her.

"Take care if them Duo, all of them, including yourself, and call me if anything, anything happens, ok?"

With that she gave the startled but pleased pilot a hug and a kiss on the cheek, and then vanished into the flames.

Duo smiled in pleased surprise and then quickly remembered where he was. Covering up the small smile with a cocky grin he turned back to Albus, "what can I say? The ladies love me."

He laughed at the bemused expression on the Professor's face. "So… Al…" he laughed again as the Headmaster choked, "where's Sev and Minnie this fine morning?"

Albus fought a smile as he imagined the expression on his colleagues' faces if they heard their new titles. "Probably working."

Duo pulled a face, "yeah, I know how that goes… speaking of work I think I'd better be getting on with mine so, see ya…"

"Wait…"

Duo looked at the teacher curiously and cocked his head, awaiting the question, "Yeah?"

"When do you think will be a good time to go and talk to them again, we need to discuss what we're going to do now… things obviously can't go back to the way they were before."

"Give it a few hours, that'll give you time to collect your Professors, Heero time to get used to talking again, me time to finish my report, Wu time to finish his book, Sal time to do a once over and Q and Tro time to make up…"

The Headmaster's face showed relief all of a sudden. "Thank Merlin, I was worried about mister Ma… Winner."

"Yeah, they'll be fine, anyway… see ya later Al."

Swirling out of the hall the eyes of every student watched him, amazed at the one who would dare talk to their Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, that way.

Albus watched him with an amazed smile on his face, it had been years, probably decades since someone, anyone, had talked to him that way. It was… interesting, but not in a bad way and since the young man wasn't one of his students then there wasn't a problem with him addressing him that way anyway.

Briefly entertaining the idea of the five as students he found himself imagining a potions class with a demolitions expert, a defense class with someone skilled in over a hundred types of martial arts and a care of magical creatures class with someone who had the same kind of bond with and love for animals as Hagrid did. The idea was… intriguing… terrifying but intriguing.

------------------

The numbers of students were thinning out as Duo walked up, yet another, flight of stairs towards the hospital wing, this time he was getting some strange looks but he was assuming that that had more to do with the brand-new, state-of-the-art, magically-dependant laptop he was carrying under his arm.

Noticing the door he stepped through it into the main wing where currently three beds were standing, perfectly made up, turning left he muttered the password, 'omae o korosu' under his breath and walked through the portrait that had suddenly become merely an illusion.

Reaching the thin corridor than led to the private wing of the hospital that Zechs and Treize were in he realised that although the nurse must have put them into this room Heero would have changed the password immediately. She would probably be worried if she suddenly found that she was blocked from part of her own wing. He'd get Heero to talk to her, to give her temporary access or something. Then again, knowing Heero, he'd probably already sorted it out.

He was right, walking round the corner he overheard voices, hissed reprimands coming from the nurse about the dangers or placing patients outside her reach, didn't he realise how dangerous that was? What if there had been a problem and she couldn't reach them? He rounded the last corner and stared at the scene.

She was leaning over Heero, who was sitting in a chair, her eyes were flashing angrily.

Heero was watching her impassively, seemingly unconcerned with the lecture. Duo was watching his eyes though and, with the ease of long practice, was picking out the emotions; faint but there, swirling in the cobalt depths. Heero was getting angry; it was always a bad thing to make Heero angry, in his experience anyway.

People who were near Heero when he was angry tended to do unhealthy things… like dying for example.

As he moved to stand up he started to move forwards but was stopped by Sally's hand on his arm and Wufei's on his shoulder. He must be slipping; he hadn't even noticed them.

"If we don't do something she's going to die! He'll kill her, look at him!" He hissed furiously, not really trying to move out of their grip though, he knew, subconsciously at least, they must have a good reason for holding him back.

"No he won't, just _wait_!" Sally was hissing too, that was bad, she never sounded really worried; she always sounded calm and controlled. "Just wait. Let's see what he's going to do."

"How dare you?" The deadly whisper from Heero brought all three of them back to the conversation they were witnessing.

The nurse finally moved back, taking a half step and backing into the bed holding Zechs, finally realising that maybe Heero wasn't one of the people she could safely yell at.

"How _dare_ you? How dare you even _suggest_ that I would put _either_ of them in jeopardy?" Heero's hands were clenched and he looked angrier than Duo had ever seen him. "I would _never_ risk either of them but if you think I'm going to leave the same passwords in that anyone may know then you'd be wrong. Have you _any idea_ how much their lives are worth? Do you know what would happen if the wrong person got a hold of them?

"You still have monitoring charms on right? And if you needed to get through all you'd have to do was knock on the door and someone in here would hear you, right! They're never going to be in here alone so _what_ _is_ _the_ _problem_?"

She had frozen somewhere towards the beginning of his speech and she still couldn't move. She was just watching with wide, terrified eyes as the teenager loomed over her.

'Oh sweet Merlin, I'm going to die!' was her first conscious thought.

Not today though it seemed.

He stopped advancing suddenly, shuddering to a halt before he pivoted on the spot and swept past her, shooting a look at the Chinese teenager as he passed him, Wufei following him quickly. As the door slammed shut, signalling their exit, the nurse seemed to collapse in on herself and Duo sprang forwards, catching her.

"Hey! You ok?"

"What was _that_?"

"The Perfect Soldier." Duo replied grimly. "You'll get used to him." She shuddered and he carefully moved her into a chair. "Sal…"

"Yeah," Sally moved forwards, smiling at the nurse, "it's ok, sorry about him he's a bit stressed, he appreciates what you've done but these past few days, weeks…. Months probably, have been a bit tough on him… How are you feeling."

Madam Pomfrey seemed to be regaining some of her composure, "I'm alright, it must have been a heck of a few months though."

"You could say that." Duo mumbled under his breath. Sally shot him a look.

"The thing is, Sensei," Sally continued soothingly, covering a smile as the nurse blinked at the title, "Heero didn't even know they were still alive up until yesterday, this has got to be pretty strange for him… Hell for all of us but mostly for him, they had a very… complex… relationship, you see." Duo fought to stop himself from snorting. God, she didn't know the half of it. "I'm sure he'll apologize when he gets back."

Duo sniffed, "yeah _right_, sorry Sal but this is Heero Yuy we're talking about, he doesn't do the apology thing, he was never taught how, I mean he's never apologized for trying to kill me, or Relena, or Dorothy for that matter or Une or…"

"Alright, thanks for the vote of approval Duo but I think that's enough don't you?"

"If you say so."

"I do." Sally turned back to the rapidly calming woman. "Look, would you mind if I had a look over them? I'm a doctor you see and it's not as though I doubt your medical skills but I'd feel a lot better if I could just check them over for myself… You understand?"

"Yes, I do, I feel the same when one of my students or other patients is transferred to St. Mungo's."

Sally smiled at her gratefully, "why don't you have a lie down? I'll send Heero in when he gets back from beating Wufei into a bloody pulp. I'll let Duo be your body guard if you'd like but I'm sure he won't be necessary. Ok."

A change came over the nurse's face and she gritted her teeth, obviously fixing her mindset. "Ok, send him in when he gets back and send… Wufei, was it? In too, I'll fix him up."

"Thanks." The words came from Duo to her surprise, "I appreciate that, Wu's a pretty good fighter and probably a match for Heero, not sure about when he's mad though, this should be quite a show… In fact, let's get the Professors and let them watch, should convince them we aren't teenagers who need to be protected." Despite his flippant words there was worry behind the violet eyes, worry that Sally noticed.

"Duo…" He turned his eyes to meet hers, "they'll be fine, both of them, I promise."

A reluctant smile broke forth at those words, "thanks Sal." He laughed suddenly, "strange isn't it, Heero Yuy showing his emotions, I guess we're going to have to learn to deal with it though, not like they're going to go away…"

"That's a good thing though." Sally whispered softly, "he's only reacting badly because he doesn't know how else to react, all his emotions are going haywire what with having emotions and being able to safely use them for one week and then not for a week and then having them here again but having to be careful of the press and then not being able to use then again…"

"You're babbling Sal."

"Sorry… but you're right, it's strange, good, but strange, it'll be a long time before he gets used to them properly, he's lived without them for fifteen years after all."

"I don't know about that." Duo's gaze was set on the two men lying on the stark-white hospital sheets, "I wouldn't say he had no emotions before Sally, I think Heero surprised us all."

**End Chapter 10**

**AN** Well, what do you think, please tell me whether you loved it or hated it.


	11. Chapter 11

AN I am so sorry this chappie took so long but I've just started a new term which means even more work than I had to do over the holidays and not only that but I've started learning Latin, which I've never actually done before but still my teacher is firmly maintaining that he can have us up to scratch by xmas… unfortunately this seems to equate with him setting us a year's worth of work every week… yeah… Anyway I'm babbling, sorry this took so long, again, and a super long chappie to make up for it, well super long for me anyways… almost 6000 words –is proud- 

Disclaimer/Rating/Summary Please see first chapter

Chapter 11 

Ron Weasley's eyes opened slowly and for a few moments he was able to revel in the moment between dreaming and waking, in the knowledge that he'd had a really _great_ night's sleep.

Soon though, the reality wormed its way into the cracks in his mind and he found himself concentrating on his surroundings, there was definitely something wrong somewhere.

Intently studying what he could hear he easily picked up the sound of the other boys' muted snores, there was one missing though, Harry's.

Sitting up hurriedly once the information registered he shot out of bed and ripped back the curtains on his best-friend's four-poster, there was no one there and not only was there no one there, the bed hadn't been slept in… Hang on a minute, hadn't been slept in? He knew Harry had come to bed last night, he had caught the snitch causing the match to end on a draw, a _draw_! And then he'd come back to their common room and they'd celebrated and then…

He squinted, thinking hard… and then.

Violently the memories rushed back to him, the… robots Hermione had called them, falling from the sky Harry and Malfoy taking off, he hadn't come back.

Oh Merlin! He hadn't come back!

------------------

Quatre and Trowa both blinked, jerked from a slight sleep, as the laptop standing in the corner of the room buzzed.

"Duo…? What does he want?"

Trowa pulled himself to his feet and reached for a dressing gown that was hanging over a chair by the bed, persistently the machine buzzed again, the noise informing him of the incoming call. Quatre lay back, waking himself up and watching curiously. "You don't think there's a problem do you?"

"I don't know, I can't think of any other reason for him to be calling," he shot a look over his shoulder at his lover, "you'd better start to get dressed Quat."

Satisfied as the blonde swung his legs over the side of the bed and pushed himself up Trowa turned back to the screen, though the sight of his naked boyfriend was undoubtedly the most pleasant thing he could be looking at there were times when other responsibilities overtook, times like now.

"Barton." He said as he pressed the button to accept the call. No picture appeared, Duo must be on his cell phone, a miraculous piece of engineering that Heero had not only charmed to work on Hogwarts grounds but had also managed to get it a signal, it would only respond to a call from one of their other cells or from one of the computers but it wasn't like there was anyone else on Hogwarts ground who was dying to get in contact with them at all, let alone via a _muggle_ device

"Trowa? That you?"

"Yes, what's the problem Duo?"

"Heero's pissed off, that's the problem, _seriously_ pissed off. The nurse accused him of placing Treize and Zechs in jeopardy, he and 'Fei took off to the Room, they're going to fight Tro."

"Ok, calm down. Wufei is a more-than-capable match for Heero, you do remember that?"

"Yeah I remember that but I have _never_ seen Heero this mad before, not even when OZ kidnapped him or when Q nearly killed you or after New Edwards or…"

"I get the message!" Shooting a look over his shoulder he saw his blonde lover pull on a pair of skin-tight black jeans, fighting the urge to lick his lips he turned back to the call. "We'll be there in a few ok? They'll both be fine, no matter how angry Heero is he would never intentionally harm one of us."

"Yeah, but what about unintentionally? Never mind, look Trowa; could you or Quatre go down to the Hall and tell the Professors that we've got a show to put on for 'em. I think this would be a good opportunity to show them that we really aren't just teens with an attitude problem and a superiority complex."

Blowing a kiss towards him Quatre finished the buttons on his shirt and made to leave the room, signing rapidly that he was going to get the Professors.

"Quatre's gone to find them, I'll see you there soon."

"'K, see ya soon Tro-man, oh, and congrats on you and Q working things out together."

He hung up before Trowa could make further comment; the tall Preventer shook his head and moved across the room to grab his clothes. This was going to be an interesting day.

------------------

Many of the students Quatre was flying past were telling tale of a brunette, braided whirlwind that had flown past them, talking to himself! Apparently he'd nearly knocked into them! The remainder were scoffing at this tale and speaking of their own brush with death as a Japanese and a Chinese boy stormed past them looking like they were about to kill someone! Realising that the first boy mentioned was obviously Duo on a cell phone and the second descriptions matched Heero and Wufei perfectly Quatre shook his head as he skilfully weaved through the traffic of students. So much for keeping a low profile.

Rounding the last corner he slowed his pace to walk into the Great Hall aristocratically, noting with some satisfaction that he was drawing the gaze of the majority of people in the Hall.

Sauntering up to the main table he reached Albus Dumbledore and gave him a smirk that reeked of Draco Malfoy, yet with a gentle edge that screamed of Quatre. Not knowing if the Professor knew him well enough to notice the distinction he turned to his own head of house, who was sitting on the Headmaster's left, the seat at his right hand side having been occupied but the Deputy Headmistress.

He started with no word of good morning or introduction, he hadn't time for formalities right now "You ready to see what we can do? I have it on good authority that Heero and Wufei are sparring and we thought this would be a good opportunity for you to see some of what we can do.

"Sparring?"

"Yeah, you know, good natured, friendly, trying-to-beat-the-crap-out-of-each-other-in-new-and-interesting-ways, sparring."

"Oh dear."

"Nah, they do this all the time, granted Heero usually isn't as annoyed as he is right now so there'll probably be more blood than usual but then again," He shrugged, grinning, the part of him that resented these people for their arrogance and insistence that they knew they were right, laughing at them and their faces. "They say variety is the spice of life… You coming?"

Without another word he spun round and made his way quickly back out of the Hall three astonished and worried Professors trailing after him.

The blonde knew they were following and also knew this had to be a new experience for them, having to follow someone else but, as he'd said, variety is the spice of life. He wasn't going to be stupid enough to underestimate them, he was going to stay on his guard, as were all the other pilots, they had only a vague estimate of their skills after all so training instructed they were to regard them as if the Professors may well be able to beat them. He did have to make them acknowledge, though, that the pilots were not the teenagers they looked like and that he and Heero were not the helpless, manipulated, naïve, spoiled and arrogant students most of the Professors had assumed they had been, trusting them and their abilities could very well save their life one day.

------------------ 

Hermione was thinking curiously, her breakfast had certainly been eventful, first visiting royals then a teenage boy with a braid at least a meter long who _dared_ to call the Headmaster _Al_! Then a blonde who had stalked into the room as though he owned it, leaving it with a smirk on his face and the three most powerful Professors in the school _following_ _him,_ instead of the other way round. The students were telling stories of homicidal killers roaming the corridors and it seemed, if you believed them, that several had only just escaped with their lives!

Something else had to happen, of course, and it did. Ron sprinted into the room much faster than she knew he could and skidded to a halt next to her. One look at his face and she started to worry, he wasn't just panicked about homework or something, whatever had happened was serious, the last time she had seen that look on his face was when Harry had disappeared after the third task.

His first words did nothing to reassure her, "'Mione! Where's the Headmaster?"

"What?"

"Where's the Headmaster? Where's Dumbledore! 'Mione this is _important_! Where is he?"

"He left the hall, why?"

He lowered his voice and slipped into a seat next to her, luckily most had finished eating by now and the table was fairly isolated, with enough noise to ensure they wouldn't be overheard.

"Harry's not here."

"Not here? What do you mean '_not here'_?"

"I mean not here, not in the dorm, not in the tower, not in the castle, not in the grounds."

She floundered, not wanting to believe it, "Are you… you sure?"

His voice lowered further, "I checked the map 'Mione, he is definitely not here. His bed's not been slept in."

"But… last night… I saw him go to bed, I saw him go up the stairs."

"Did you? Or did you just think you saw him?"

"I… what?"

"Think hard 'Mione, did anything strange happen yesterday?"

"Strange like _what_?" Her voice was quiet but nearly hysterical, he shushed her anyway.

"Strange like robots falling from the sky."

"Strange like… _Robots_? What are you talking about? How do you even know what a robot is?"

"I know because you told me, yesterday, look no one else can remember, I woke the other boys in the dorm up, none of them can remember anything, It must have been a spell because Harry was definitely not there last night."

"Robots… I…" Abruptly her face paled, "Oh God! _Harry_!"

------------------

Reaching the room finally, he'd watched as the crowd of students had thinned to become a trickle and for the first time Severus had realised how well placed, strategically, it was. There was no reason for anyone to be here, there were not suits of armour, no portraits to talk about what they'd seen, in hindsight it was no real surprise that he hadn't known it existed.

This was the first time he'd been here when it was light and only the second time he'd been here in total and so he had missed before how it was placed so that it was set in an immensely reclusive part of the school, near isolated and near invisible from any of the entrances into the corridor in which it was situated. Presumably this was why the pilots also had their quarters in this corridor, though how they had managed that he honestly had no idea.

There was no one in the school other than the Headmaster who should have been able to issue extra room to exist… no one except the house elves that is… but then again, it was a house elf bubble that had appeared last night to tell them that their 'usual rooms' were ready and hadn't Draco… Quatre… Draco said that Potter… Heero… had an arrangement with them. If the house elves had been helping them then it was no wonder they'd been able to keep themselves and their friends secret for so long. Why would they help though? It's not like they owed any debt to the teens…

Jerked out of his thoughts as the door swung open he gaped inwardly in shock, the room of last night had vanished to be replaced by something looking a lot like a dojo. At the center of the mats were Wufei and Heero, definitely Heero this time because there was no way this could ever be Potter, the only thing that was there at this moment was to connect the two was the perpetually messy hair and the thin scar on the forehead.

Other than that, no trace remained of the boy he had though he knew.

------------------

Remus Lupin winced at the noise coming from his door, the hammering would have been loud under any circumstances but for him, a night after the full moon, the sound was nearly deafening.

"I'm coming," he called, pulling himself up slowly, "_I'm coming_," he yelled again, sharper this time when noise refused to lessen after a similar disregard for his words again though he began to worry. Hurriedly pulling his robes over his head he ran to the other room and jerked the door open.

Ron and Hermione fell into the room suddenly and the awful noise ceased.

"Ron, Hermione, what's…" Rapidly his face darkened and his eyes began to glow slightly as he recognised who was missing, "Harry…"

A few minutes later he had heard as much of what they could tell him, had made them promise to stay in his quarters, had borrowed the invisibility cloak they had thoughtfully brought with them and was sprinting down the corridor, following the Headmaster's scent, it was lucky it had just been the full-moon really, he normally couldn't follow scents with this speed and accuracy.

Rounding a corner silently, another time when werewolf senses came in handy he spotted a teenage boy moving swiftly down the corridor, sniffing slightly he was shocked to find what smelled distinctly of Draco Malfoy on the teen and he almost froze in shock, this could not be a coincidence. Ron and Hermione had said that the last time anyone had seen, what he though of as, his godson was yesterday, during the Quidditch match, after which he had flown off. With Draco Malfoy.

Now following the teenager noiselessly he almost jerked to a standstill as he caught the boy watching him in the shine of a suit of armour's visor. He double-checked himself; yes he was still wearing the cloak so how… He stared at the young man, he wasn't watching him now, he couldn't even have been sure that he'd seen him looking at him at all. Deep down though, he knew that for one split-second his eyes had met and held the gaze of one inscrutable green one, so similar to Harry's own.

They were standing on a circular platform which, for all intents and purposes, seemed to be floating in mid air, with a very high drop should someone be unfortunate enough to fall off.

Then it seemed that an unspoken signal was given, as they both flew forwards, each preparing to strike as they did so, Heero threw the first punch which Wufei blocked, grabbing the Japanese boy's arm in the process.

Heero twisted and knowing he didn't have long Wufei leaned in to drive a punch into the other's face. Heero took the punch lightly before forcing his arm free flipping back as he did so and kicking Wufei in the chest, though the other teen dodged a blow to the face.

Wufei's body flinched and bent over slightly, giving him the necessary support to snatch at the arm that was steering down towards his face, Heero dodged expertly and used the force of Wufei's punch to swing him round far enough to get the necessary momentum to place a well aimed kick in the centre of his chest.

Wufei flew back and skidded off the end of the platform. Snatching at the edge he propelled himself back up to the floor and crouched, before rising quickly as Heero moved towards him with death in his eyes.

Heero went for his head and he blocked again grabbing onto the arm and punching round it, aiming for Heero's neck, Heero dodged, moving easily round his back even as he was still held fast and they both heard the audible crack as it dislocated, but Heero was free and as he drew back slightly they all watched as he popped it back into place with the certainty of one that has done it many times before, he didn't even seem to be favouring it as he moved back into a defensive

position.

'Come on!' Wufei yelled, 'you're too angry, it's blinding you, just go for it, let go Heero, you want to kill me, get on and do it!'

Heero's eyes glowed and he moved forwards again but Wufei was ready for him this time and it was Heero who found himself rolling towards the edge from the force of the Chinese boy's kick to the stomach. Looking up he realised what was happening and caught himself on the edge, balancing on one hand he caught the approaching teen's neck in a lock with his feet and used the force that Wufei had instantly switched into trying to move him to spin in the air and land upright.

Watching Heero approach Wufei quickly managed a force field and ran up it, propelling himself off it and landing on the floor behind the Japanese teen. Heero spun and smirked, enjoying the new element that had been added to the game.

'Adversperascit,' he roared and though Wufei didn't stumble as the black streak hit him it was clear, at least for a second, that he'd slowed down. It was only a second but it was enough, 'cado,' Heero cried again and Wufei was swept off his feet by a sudden rush of power that swept through the room.

Eyes possessing a milky sheen Wufei jumped to his feet and then froze, as did Heero, the silence was thick and almost deafening but it was enough, as Heero raised his hand to cast another spell Wufei's flew out and he screamed, 'lente!' Heero became almost motionless as the spell hit him, body moving in slow motion as he attempted to further twist out of the way of the spell that had only just struck him.

Wufei shook his head to clear the last vestiges of the blindness curse he had first been hit with and flung his body forwards, pulling out his katana as he did so. He had nearly struck the Japanese pilot when the last curse he had placed on him wore off and Heero flung himself out of harm's way.

Quickly Heero pulled out two knives and raised his arms again, moving forwards quickly and used one arm to keep the heavy sword at bay, while the other attempted to slash at the Chinese boy's throat.

Severus' gaze was glued on the two, who were fighting, sparring Draco had said, with ease that comes with long practice and familiarity that spoke of great trust and comradeship. There was no other evidence of that though than the way the two were moving with each other, they were tearing into each other violently, one gaining and pressing the advantage only to lose it a few seconds later, punching and kicking, twisting and turning, drawing blood, bruising flesh, splitting skin. Casting spell after spell, slicing with knives, swords and trying to throw each other over the side of the precariously small platform they were on. He seriously hoped there was something to catch them should they fall.

It was beautiful though, like a deadly dance, one he had no desire what so ever to get involved in.

Draco had left them instantly and had moved over to the braided teenager, they were now heavily involved in a discussion regarding the grace, style, performance and ability of the two men who were each doing their best to kill the other.

"Nice flip," the voice made him jump and behind him he saw that his student's lover had just entered the room, slowly the uni-banged teen shut the door and also moved across to his lover and friend, soon becoming involved in their discussion.

Finally the Chinese teen went down over the side and the others all winced but especially his braided lover. As he was falling though, his leg shot out and swept the other's feet from under him. Heero landed on his back and Wufei caught the side of the platform once again. Pulling himself up quickly before he collapsed at Heero's side on the floor. They were both breathing heavily and looking worse for the wear. Bruises would come later but for now the blood was running liberally.

Slowly the black-haired pilot opened his eyes and wiped the red liquid from his face turning to look at his sparring partner as he did so, who still had his eyes squeezed shut tightly.

"Feel better?"

"Hn." Heero's hand came up to wipe at the blood running into his own eyes and he magicked a makeshift bandage onto the worst of his injuries.

"Good." Wufei muttered before starting to do the same.

"Oh dear Merlin!" The voice came from the door and was accompanied by a thin, ill looking, sandy-haired man pulling off an invisibility cloak.

Albus sighed tiredly, "Remus."

Every eye in the room was turned towards the werewolf and, yet again, Albus was loathe to notice, he and his teaching companions were the only ones who seemed surprised by his entrance, even the two still on the platform hadn't so much as blinked at his appearance.

Heero sat up and opened his mouth to speak. He was stopped, though, as Dobby appeared from nowhere, wringing his hands and looking about anxiously. "Mr Harry Heero Yuy Potter Sir! You is needed sir. In the hospital wing sir, you is needed!"

Everyone in the room saw Heero's face turn a sickly, deathly white as he sprang to his feet and then sprinted out of the room. The house elf quickly bowed to the rest of them and popped back out as he left.

Duo looked vaguely ill, "you don't think…"

"I would have known wouldn't I?" Quatre questioned, absent-mindedly rubbing his heart. "If something had gone wrong, I would have known."

"Not unless you're a lot closer to Marquise and Khushrenada than you've been letting on." Wufei said softly, sitting up.

"We should follow him." The matter-of-fact statement from the usually silent pilot sent the other three towards the door, closely being followed by Severus and Albus and then, a little later, Minerva and Remus, the former of whom was trying to explain to the latter at least a bit of what was going on.

------------------

"What's happening!" Four pilots charged into the room skidding to a halt at the sight. Closely followed by four Professors who weren't quite quick enough to stop from bumping into the pilots.

Sally and Madam Pomfrey were flying round shouting to each other about blood pressure, heart rates and dangerously high fevers. Heero was standing next to the bed, holding Zechs' hand tightly, obviously unsure of what else to do, the blonde was tossing and turning frantically, mumbling under his breath.

"What's he saying?" Duo moved forwards, in response to his question the room grew quieter. Slowly Zechs' mutterings began to come into focus.

"No… can't… have to stop it… war… need to learn… can't go on… no more … needs to end… sorry… so sorry… Heero… Treize… So cold… dark… hurts… love you…"

Heero made a strangled noise in the back of his throat and stepped forwards, pushing aside the bed covers and slipping in next to the blonde. Holding him gently he began to rock him and murmur soothingly under his breath.

"Sssshhhh, it's ok, it's ok, I'm here, and Treize is here, Earth's fine, everything's ok, the war's over, I'm here… It's ok, I'm here…"

Slowly the tremors wracking the body began to lessen and the frenzied whispers began to quieten.

The room held its breath as the people in it watched Zechs slip into sleep again and saw his body relax slightly.

As Heero, Sally and Poppy slumped in relief a sigh went up.

"What," Quatre asked, "was that about?"

"He's starting to come out of it, he should be waking up soon," Sally answered him.

"He shouldn't be though," Madam Pomfrey said in wonderment, "he shouldn't be waking up, it's too soon, he's should be unconscious for at least a week, something must have gone wrong."

"Zechs…" Heero began, "has always been a very quick healer, he was walking about twenty-four hours after a heart attack, there's something unnatural in that, something magical."

"So says the man who sets his own broken bones." Wufei teased. A natural response to cover up the worry he had been feeling, "you're not really one to talk are you Heero?"

Heero laughed, slightly hysterically, he hadn't moved, he was still holding his blonde lover, swaying with him gently.

"What's…? The weak whisper came from Remus as he stepped forwards. "Who… Who are you? You smell like Harry but… different."

Heero bowed his head, "this is incredible," Quatre heard him mumbling under his breath, "we don't tell anyone for months and then all of a sudden everyone's finding out at once. This is like the shuttle timetable for L1, you wait for hours and then four turn up…"

Realising that Heero was in no state to talk and was most likely suffering from a nervous breakdown Quatre stepped forwards, hands held up, he knew it had just been the full moon and he had no desire to antagonise an, already tense, werewolf. "Professor…"

"There's no need to call me Professor I don't teach you…" The amber-eyed man paused at the Arabian's good-natured grimace and shoulder shrug, "do I?"

"Not looking like this you don't, don't you recognise me?"

Remus hesitated and then drew back in shock. "Draco Malfoy!"

"Got it in one." The blonde turned back to Heero who was still cradling his lover protectively. "Do you want to do this now, wait for Snuffles, oblivate him, do this later, deny everything. S'your call Heero, we've got your back no matter."

"Wait for Snuffles, then I'll explain everything." He turned tired eyes on one of his father's best friends, regretting not knowing him better. "Professor… can you…?"

"Harry…?" He was cut off with a hesitant yet desperate question.

"Yes?"

Half expecting an attack he froze when he was enfolded in a hug. "Merlin I was so worried about you. Ron and Hermione came saying they didn't know where you were, that you hadn't gone to bed, that you weren't on the map… I thought…"

Still frozen in shock Heero hesitantly patted the man on the back, looking desperately round him, Duo was smirking, Trowa and Wufei were staring at the walls, it was no use watching the Professors, they had no idea just how momentous the fact that he was being hugged was, Quatre though… Quatre was watching him with a faint smile on his face and Heero realised that while he had Sirius, Remus, Ron, Hermione… Quatre had no one, he had sent his family to Azkaban, he had nothing left here

Evidently Trowa had come to the same conclusion because he stepped behind the Arabian and pulled him close. Heero smiled, as he saw how well the two fit together, maybe having people who cared wasn't too bad after all.

Sirius Black sat back, bored. Merlin he hated this house, he'd hated it for as long as he could remember, since before he had gone to Hogwarts, through Hogwarts and even after he'd finally left the house, for what he'd though was for anyway, good.

He hated it even more now he couldn't leave.

It hadn't been so bad in the summer, granted he still hadn't been able to go anywhere but at least he'd had company then, even if Harry hadn't been there. Now all he had was the portrait of his mother, Kreacher the house elf and the occasional Order member, and even then all they did was sleep, eat his food and then leave again, often without even talking to him.

He couldn't even talk to Remus as he was at Hogwarts, teaching DADA and, although he was thrilled for his old friend, as long as Remus was at Hogwarts he couldn't floo him, they had a weekly chat but that was it and he was still unable to talk to Harry, just in case. He hadn't even seen him since the end of the third task last year. If he'd known it was going to take this long to see him he wouldn't have left.

As though it could sense his thoughts the sound of an incoming call made an alarm run through the house. Jumping to his feet and recognising the alarm as signalling a call from Hogwarts he sprinted into the other room, mentally checking the day and the date in his head, it wasn't time for a call… And that meant there was a problem.

Fearing the worst he reached the fireplace and slowed suddenly, not entirely sure if he wanted to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Now I don't want you to panic Sirius because there's really nothing wrong per say, just something you ought to know about."

"Alright… and may I compliment you on your ever well-honed ability to inspire said panic."

His friend winced. "Yes. Well…"

"Is this to do with Harry?"

"It's always to do with Harry Sirius, there's no problem, he's not ill or anything, he just had some things he needs to tell you. One… well two of which I think you'll be quite pleased about."

"What?"

"Look I'm not having this conversation over the floo system, lock that God-forsaken house elf in the cupboard and come to Hogwarts, I'll meet you in the Headmaster's office where we can talk before you see Harry, it'll be empty right now."

Sirius sighed as Remus disappeared without another word before he yelled for Kreacher.

The thing appeared and Sirius quickly ordered it into a cupboard, "and don't come out until I say you can!"

Then he disappeared into the fire, leaving only a few swirling embers to show his departure.

"Right," Sirius fell through the fireplace and groaned as he nearly crashed into the Headmaster's desk. You would really have thought that being 35 years old and having lived as a wizard his whole life he would be able to exit the floo system without falling over, then again there weren't many floos in Azkaban, he _was_ out of practice

Trying to keep his dignity as he struggled to his feet he met his friend's amused eyes and relaxed slightly, if Remus was smiling there couldn't be anything too wrong. "So, what's wrong with Harry?"

"He's fallen in love, unless I'm _very_ much mistaken."

"He's…" Hurriedly making the transition between concerned Godfather to caring and nosey Godfather Sirius grinned. "Well, that's great, what's she like? Do I know her?"

Remus hesitated, "no, you don't know _them_."

"Them?" Sirius choked.

"Them," Remus confirmed, "two hims actually."

"Well," Sirius coughed, "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't surprised but it's not like this is abnormal is it? Is it twins he's fallen for?" A thought struck him suddenly, "It's not Fred and George is it?"

"No! And no you don't know them, I don't either, they're a bit older than he is, one's nineteen and the other nearly twenty-five."

Sirius' eyes darkened suddenly, "That's ten years older than him, he is sure it's love right and not just…"

"Yes, I've sent them together, it's not just a crush, this is the real thing."

"You've seen them? What are they like?"

"Well, I haven't actually _talked_ them, they're both unconscious after a battle, that's where _he_ met them apparently."

"A battle? Harry's never been in a battle, what the _Hell_ are you talking about?" Sirius' voice was getting darker and more deadly at the thought of his precious Godson having been in a battle and for the first time in over a year Remus had to remind himself that this really was a child of the Blacks'."

"Apparently he has been in a battle, not one of ours, a muggle one, that's something he needs to tell us it seems, it appears Harry's had a bit of a secret life."

"What do you mean a '_secret life'_? I swear to Merlin Remus if you don't start explaining…"

"Something's happened to him Sirius, he was sent to the future and his personality was merged with someone else's, a soldiers, a fifteen year old terrorist to be precise."

"Just how far in the future are we talking about here?" Remus bowed his head, refusing to meet his eyes. Sirius' narrowed, "Moony," he murmured warningly, "how far?"

"About eight hundred years." The mutter was so quiet he nearly missed it completely and, as it was, he still did a double take.

"How many years!"

"Eight-hundred."

"Holy…" He ran a hand through his hair, trying to process that information.

"Yes…" Remus broke in wryly, seeing his friend's face.

"Shit…" Sirius finished his sentence. "Holy…"

"Shit?" Remus suggested.

"Exactly."

"He's still Harry Sirius, not totally but Harry is still in there, albeit a bit more deadly…"

Sirius' head shot up, "What?"

"I told you he was a terrorist. What exactly did you think a terrorist was? He's killed Sirius, he's killed and not regretted it, he's tortured and has been tortured. The soldier he joined with nearly had the humanity stolen from him, trained to the degree when he almost couldn't think on his own but then Harry came through, taught him how to care, how to trust, how to still want to survive and how to show mercy, especially to himself. Harry saved Heero and Heero saved Harry. They're not one or the other now, they're both and that is something you have to accept or none of them will ever forgive you. Heero has friends and Harry has friends, granted Heero's friends all come equipped with about a decade of training, semi-automatic weapons and a license to kill but I wouldn't dismiss Hermione when she's feeling protective either."

"I want to meet him." Sirius broke in, not sure if he wanted to hear any more of what Remus was saying.

"He won't leave the hospital wing." Sirius just looked at him, did he honestly think that a detail that minor was going to stop him from seeing his Godson no matter how he was acting or what he was calling himself.

"I'll have to go to him then, won't I?"

Silence… then Remus smirked and held up a collar and leash, Sirius backed into the desk again.

"Oh, no way!"

End Chapter 11 

Translations

Adversperascit – To Get Dark

Cado – To Fall

Lente - Slowly

AN Well? And I know I say this every time but it probably won't be as long before the next update, seriously this time, I had serious problems with this chapter, I've never actually written a fight scene before and it took a long, long time to get it to something I was even vaguely happy with… I'm still not too sure about how it turned out… oh well, tell me what you this of the chap in general but that specifically please, constructive crit especially welcome.


	12. Chapter 12

AN Out before Christmas, yay, which was my target, ok any questions about the characterisation in this chap email me or see the author's note at the bottom because to be honest I wasn't too sure about it myself.

Rating/Summary/Disclaimer – See first chapter

**A Place**** in Time**

**Chapter 12 **

**Japanese "---"**

"Oh Merlin," Minerva was whispering over and over as she buried her head in her hand, sitting in the armchair beside her desk. Severus rolled his eyes, 'Oh Merlin' indeed, she was sitting in a comfortable chair in her own office with a cup of tea being made for her. Her boy wonder had not only steadily increased his chances of survival by his increased magical aptitude but he also appeared to have grown up considerably. His student on the other hand was basically being shunted to the side, the focus of the attention as always being Potter, their saviour. No one had even spoken to Draco regarding his new status as a part muggle of all things, nor about how he felt with regard to his father, his new status as a high profile target for Voldemort nor his current standing within the ministry.

Uneasily he realised that 'no one' included him, he would have to rectify the situation as soon as possible, after all Potter was a Gryffindor who while they may be renowned for their 'bravery', stupidity, and 'loyalty', blind ignorance and the refusal to see what was in front of their noses, weren't famed for their tolerant attitude of his Slytherins. Maybe it was time to make sure that Potter wasn't going to split leaving Draco to face the music now that the cat was out of the bag, so to speak.

Because one of the things Minerva was pickiest about was tea being made the traditional way instead of using magic to make the kettle boil he had been standing next to it for several minutes and found himself wondering how muggles justified all that lost time to themselves.

Finally though it was done.

"Here," he snapped, pushing the cup of steaming liquid in front of her hands.

He highly doubted that she'd heard his voice but something made her look up, probably the heat he mused as she slowly took the cup from him holding it under her chin, allowing the mist rising from the mug to heat her face.

At that point the door to the office banged and they both sat up, rising to their feet hurriedly, pulling wands and aiming before they'd even comprehended that should it have been an intruder the wards around Minerva's office would have warned them. Realising she was pointing a wand at the headmaster Minerva slumped back down into her seat, careful not to spill her tea, apologising as she did so.

Severus took his seat more slowly, collecting his own mug from the table on the way, not offering or intending to offer an apology for his actions, he was more than seasoned enough to realise that his actions were nothing more than necessary for someone in his position. Apparently Albus realised it too because he didn't even tender a raised eyebrow at Severus' reaction, Merlin knows it wasn't the first time he'd seen it.

Instead Albus simple made is way into the room and reached for the third mug on the table waiting for him and sank into the last chair.

"Your classes are covered for today," he offered into the stillness as a potential icebreaker. It failed miserably, both Minerva and Severus having had no doubts regarding his ability to have their classes covered without even having to give a hint of the reason why, it was one of Albus many gifts. "And," he continued, "with regard to Remus' little foray into Mr. Potter's new life I have journeyed to his quarters to inform Miss Granger and Mr. Ronald Weasley that there was nothing for them to be overly concerned about."

Severus spoke up at that, "how did they remember, because they obviously did, and why didn't you oblivate them?"

"I don't think that is my duty to either ask why or do, wouldn't you agree Severus?"

Severus snorted, not believing him for a second "You mean you'd rather they were close to Heero because then they're a potential mine of information."

Albus didn't deny the accusation, "I am merely concerned Severus, that Mr Potter will forget that he has a base within this school to rely on as well as the Ministry and not merely his friends from the future who can have no real idea as to the scale of the war we are speaking of that they are obviously considering with such complacency. I believe that Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley will provide him with such a reminder"

"Because naturally," Severus muttered sarcastically, "the Ministry have been such a reliable point for him to work with in the past. And Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley have been nothing but supportive throughout all the changes in his life."

Albus fixed him with a stare that he returned unerringly, "Perhaps," he suggested mildly, "it is not simply Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy that can grow up Severus."

No even needing to point out the flaws in that particular piece of logic knowing that Albus was just as aware of them as he was Severus simply arched one perfect eyebrow and allowed the conversation to end there.

"Why though," he was still curious as to one point, "do you believe that they remembered, they had no memory yesterday of that I am certain."

"Conceivably a strategy to deal with them after having dealt with us," Albus suggested, "perhaps a mere misjudgement…"

Severus shook his head, "doesn't sound like the sort of mistake Heero Yuy would make," he muttered bitterly.

Albus shook his head, "indeed not, however, it is quite easy to see Harry Potter make a similar mistake out of a lingering fondness for his friends and the unfailing belief that they will trust him perhaps."

"He's still there," Minerva spoke for the first time, adding the unnecessary comment that they were all thinking.

"We did know this already," Severus reminded them, ever the logical one, "as I recall we were informed as to this the very first time we met them as who they really are."

Albus waved a hand, "of course of course but seeing it is something completely different wouldn't you agree Severus. Surely you cannot deny that seeing someone you know to be Draco Malfoy act as Quatre Winner does does not confuse you."

It had, that Severus had been willing to admit but in that one second he worked it out, Quatre really was the way he acted but underneath that spark of life was something much harder that was totally lost in the cheerful exuberance the boy exhibited. Even now realising it was there Severus realised that he had absolutely no idea of how just what the teenager would be capable of and he couldn't deny the respect he felt growing at the realisation, it seemed that, just like Harry, Draco was still in there.

"Obviously," Albus was continuing, "it would be ludicrous to have them return to their classes, they are clearly far more advanced than all of the other students in the year, seemingly mostly due to learning to control a much less concentrated form of magic and the sheer abundance when they returned to this time. Also I feel certain that you will have both witnessed exactly what they as well as their friends have managed to accomplish, simply for not having to deal with the restrictions we place on our young witches and wizards as learning parameters. Suffice to say, placing them in a class with their peers would only work to draw attention to them."

Severus observed the man, tired of the games, knowing that Albus had had a plan in mind probably since he first met Heero and Quatre, honed from hearing their explanation and seeing them fight and finally about to be revealed. He didn't begrudge the man his idea.

He just wished he would get on with it.

"Before I start though," Albus said suddenly and both Minerva and Severus fought the urge to sigh, both extremely familiar with the game the Headmaster was playing. Still it seemed that Minerva was finally starting to wake up so perhaps the rather long introduction had been good for something, Severus could always use another ally when dealing with Albus and while Minerva may not have cared about Draco her precious Potter was another thing entirely.

"Before I start," Albus repeated, this time taking a sip of tea before he continued, "I feel we also need to deal with the fact that we have the equivalent of two muggle weapons of mass destruction on my school grounds, granted they have been shielded and any student coming within five meters of them will suddenly be reminded of pressing Transfiguration and Potions homework they have forgotten to finish or some extra reading in those particular subjects that they simply haven't found the time to do…"

He trailed off, Severus and Minerva accepted the not so subtly offered bribed for what they were and looked back at him without giving an inch.

"Anyway, we really do need to ask them to deal with that before we allow any other plan to get underway…"

"But…" Minerva prompted.

"But I believe that there is a great deal these 'pilots' could help us with." Albus steepled his hands, a managed to look imposing even with the shortbread biscuit he'd placed between his teeth in order to be able to steeple his hands in the first place. Moving one of his hands up to his mouth he bit the biscuit in half and chewed happily for a few seconds while the other two professors exchanged glances.

"I believe that it is time for the pilots to meet the Order."

* * *

Taking care to avoid students on his way over Remus was struck by a thought as he reached the hospital wing with Padfoot.

Ron and Hermione. Shit, they had to be worried sick; freezing for a split second he forced himself to continue walking.

He hadn't fooled Sirius though, the dog turned to look at him curiously, the human expression alien on the canine features.

He sighed and beckoned the dog into the hospital wing and then down the narrow corridor that lead to the private rooms. Harry was alone other than the men in the beds, the Professors evidently having given them some privacy for this. He looked up at their entrance and spotted the expression on Remus' face instantly.

"What?"

Remus forced himself not to jump, he wasn't used to a Harry as observant as this one evidently was.

"I was just thinking that maybe you should tell Ron and Hermione what's going on at the same time, this way you only have to explain it once more…"

Harry hesitated, blue eyes flickering around the room before suddenly darkening and flying back to Remus' face. "Why should I tell them anything?"

Remus stuttered, of all the responses he'd been expecting that wasn't it. But at least he had an answer for it.

"Well since the memory charm on them was only temporary I just assumed that-"

He was cut off suddenly as Heero's eyes narrowed and another boy entered the room, blonde this time but with a scent he found instantly familiar even if he couldn't place it, strange, his sense were normally much more honed than this just following the full moon.

"The memory charm was only temporary Heero?" The voice was sharp and Sirius growled, hackles raised as the eyes, a lighter shade of blue than Harry's, fixed on first Remus and then on him.

Harry didn't say anything, "what did you mean," he repeated, "The memory charm was only temporary?"

"Exactly what he said." Harry broke in, turning to face the blonde with an almost defiant look in his eyes. "Is that a problem."

"That would depend," the response came quietly and easily.

There was a cough from behind him as Sirius transformed back, he tensed immediately but neither of the two teens in front of him moved, even enough to flinch.

Then Sirius joined in the conversation "On what exactly?"

"On whether they can keep their mouth shut and on exactly how much trust they deserve."

Seeing Sirius open his mouth to begin noisily defending his Godson's two best friends Remus hastily stepped onto the man's toe in order to prevent him from making a fool of himself, there was something about these boys that just wasn't right, that he couldn't explain, like they weren't supposed to be here. Like they didn't belong here in a way that couldn't only be explained by then having spent a considerable mount of their lives in another time zone.

Obviously expecting Harry to jump on the defensive Sirius turned to stare smugly at the blonde who just watched him with a cool appraising eye for a few seconds before turning back to Harry who still hadn't responded.

"_Well_…?"

"I can't give you that reassurance Quatre." The admission stunned both Remus and Sirius but 'Quatre' seemed to have been expecting it.

He nodded, "then what do you want to do?"

"Why wouldn't you want to tell them?" Sirius sounded confused now and oddly betrayed considering that it wasn't even him that they were talking about and that they didn't even really know the people that they were discussing, his perceptions of Ron and Hermione were limited after all.

After a quick glance at Harry Quatre answered him, "because the two of them, on more than one occasion have been known to be even less than short sighted and unable to see more than the two starker shades of black or white, it is high time that Mr. Weasley and Miss. Granger realised that nothing stays white forever and black fades after time. They have been proved to be unreliable, indeed more Mr. Weasley in this case however, Miss Granger loses my confidence due to her connection with the muggle world and of her perception of what a 'terrorist' is. Let me assure you right now Mr. Black that most muggles view terrorists the same way the wizarding society views Voldemort. I have concerns regarding whether or not she will be able to overcome her undoubted prejudice and see what we have become, what Harry has become."

"Why us? Why did you let us know?"

There was amusement in the voice as it answered this time, as thought the response should have been obvious. "Because you both have more than enough experience with both the light and dark sides of this world and hopefully you will both be able to see beyond our methods to understand what we are trying to do."

"And what is that exactly."

It seemed that for the first time in the conversation Harry knew the answer because it was him that responded to Remus' shaky question, even as his cold, dead blue eyes lifted to Remus' face, "We are trying to kill Voldemort and his followers, demolishing any support networks he may have along the way while keeping as many people alive as is reasonable to expect."

"As is reasonable to expect," Sirius scoffed, "and by that you mean-"

The blue eyes blackened and Remus found himself taking an unconscious step back when faced with what he could tell was only a partial amount of Harry's anger .

"And by that I mean exactly what I said, I would have considered you of all people to have understood that sacrifice is a necessary part of a war no matter how much it pains those who are still living, what exactly is a war when lives are not at risk, it's playtime between those who can afford it and results in life becoming cheap. Everyone living won't work now and it won't work in eight hundred years time when Romefellar decides that way to either demolish the colonies or keep the war going forever is to use Mobile Dolls as the ultimate weapons."

"But," Quatre cut in, "that doesn't answer the question, are you going to tell them?"

Harry took a deep breath, "yes?"

Quatre nodded, "right, then lets get them up here."

------------------

Twenty minutes later there was silence in the room, a fact that had not been helped by the arrival of the unnaturally silent Heavyarms pilot who was now leaning over the back of Quatre's chair protectively. The pilots looked almost relaxed, if they were the slightest bit nervous they didn't show it, Ron and Hermione on the other hand were sitting ramrod straight while Remus' gaze flickered between the glowering Sirius the expressionless boys and the fidgeting Ron and Hermione.

The machine by the beds beeped once, breaking the silence and Heero pressed a button on the laptop. Hermione watching him curiously, eager to see a muggle device working in Hogwarts, fighting the urge to tell him that what he was currently doing was impossible, she had the feeling it wouldn't go down too well.

Heero kept one eye on her, watching her face with hidden amusement; the other was watching the screen as Duo's face came into focus.

"Heya Hee-chan, sorry to interrupt and all but me n 'Fei were wondering if Tro fancies popping home with us for a bit. I need to drop off this report to Une-chan and I figured we could scare some new recruits while we were at it."

Heero looked at Trowa who, in turn, looked at Quatre.

The sapphire-eyed teen smiled at his lover's display of protectiveness and patted him on the hand lightly, speaking softly in Japanese.

**"Go with Duo and Wufei, I'll be fine. In the unlikely event of something I can't handle happening Heero's here too isn't he?"**

"I love you." Trowa whispered softly as he nodded. Quatre's face lit up happily, no matter how many times he heard the words they seemed to get more wonderful every time.

"Me too, but you should still go with Duo, have some fun, scare the crap out of all the soldiers who think they're unbeatable, enjoy yourself."

Duo was still waiting expectantly, "did I hear a yes there?"

"Yeah."

"Great, we're flooing to Q's mansion, England mansion that is, the one in Cornwall, in this time, you know the floo address don't you? Then we'll be flooing to HQ from there, so we don't have to use the fire in the Hall, 'k? See ya there in a few. Oh, and hi and bye to the rest of ya, Hermione, Ron, Remus, Sirius," If Duo was surprised at the company his fellow pilots held he didn't show it, "I look forward to being introduced to you later but if I don't get this in soon Une's gonna have my head on a platter and I kinda like it where it is, sooooo, toodles."

With a nod in greeting and farewell Duo disappeared and Trowa headed through the door after a quick backward glance and a nod.  
**  
"He worries too much." Quatre murmured, still in Japanese, staring at the door his lover had gone through.**

"He loves you, of course he worries." Heero answered the non-question, "you worry about him too, it's a natural side effect to caring about someone."

"I'm sorry but what language is that?" Hermione broke in, unable to contain herself any longer.

Quatre smiled at the eager girl despite himself, "It's Japanese, one of the languages all five of us are fluent in, Heero especially because he _is_ Japanese."

"Oh…" evidently stunned with yet another difference between Heero and Harry presenting itself.

Heero took pity on them, "is there anything about this situation you _really_ don't understand?"

"Would this be _other_ than everything?" Ron mumbled sarcastically under his breath.

"Yes." The redhead frowned worriedly at this, Harry hadn't even cracked a smile.

"Ok then" he started, "I don't understand why we remember and no one else does."

"It's because I always intended to tell you, I just cast a temporary charm on you so I'd have some breathing room first, everyone else got the full dose." Quatre's eyes flickered to him but he didn't say anything, Heero steadfastly ignored him. Remus and Sirius said nothing, show no weakness was a concept they both understood

"Oh…"

Hermione's forehead had wrinkled in thought and confusion, "I don't understand the time travel thing, time turners are only supposed to be able to be used for a couple of hours and it's not like there's loads of them about, how did you…?"

"There _are_ loads in the future," Quatre explained, "There are hundreds upon thousands of them in fact, there's no magic so they're useless, not difficult to get hold of because no one wants them but because they've been in the future with no magic when they get here the magical influx is unbelievable and they'll work for up to about a week."

"Yes but how did you do it? You said you spent most of the last three months in the future in space, there wouldn't be any floo system in space would there? And what about if you got captured?"

"You're right, there isn't a floo system in space, we had to fly back to Earth once a week to make the trip, come here, live a week and then go back, we were never captured for longer that a week so we were alright there and we weren't ever really too far away from each other towards the end so we didn't really have a problem there either."

"I bet that was confusing though."

Heero laughed, a cold bitter laugh that set the hairs on the back of the necks of the listeners on end, none of them seemed to realise that Heero wasn't angry, he was honestly trying to be more normal.

"It was confusing, I would be sitting on Peacemillion's brig, that's a space cruiser belonging to Duo's friend Howard or fixing Wing, that's my gundam… I'll explain that more lately. Or sparring with one of the others… and I would suddenly remember that I had transfiguration homework, or think of something I wanted to put in my potions essay or think of a new broom manoeuvre to try for Quidditch."

"He's right," Quatre smiled in remembrance, "I'd be sitting in DADA and something would make me think of a new gundam formation, when I started sketching the design for new twin blades on my History of Magic homework I realised that we weren't going to be able to separate the worlds enough, to existed as two different people. As it was our week here, we spoke to the house elves about new quarters for us and the other pilots, quarters where we could keep muggle things we'd charmed to run on magic, laptops, printers, cell phones, gundam programmes. We started to keep parchment, quills and ink in the gundams and in safehouses, we both bought extra books and left them on Peacemillion. More than were there already that is, we went shopping in the holidays and spent an absolute fortune, we bought books, equipment, weaponry, new clothes, new robes, everything we would need to live both our lives here and there. To be honest it was a bit like having divorced parents, two lots of things at both houses."

"I don't understand how you got the ministry to believe in You-Know-Who's return." Ron stated, oblivious to the numerous eye rolls that accompanied his reluctance to call Voldemort by his name. "Fudge is an idiot, how'd you get him to listen to you?"

"Lucius Malfoy and veritaserum and Harry Potter and veritaserum," Quatre said dryly, "when the statements matched he had no choice but to believe, Lucius got kissed and Harry Potter was finally believed, the ministry hasn't actually told the public that he's returned yet because as long as Voldemort thinks we don't believe it we have the advantage, as long as he thinks he has the advantage though he won't attack because he won't want to take the risk of losing his advantage when he's not ready to do so." Seeing Sirius' mouth open and anticipating the question he answered it first. "The ministry told no one because we asked them not to and since we're both adults they had no duty to tell anyone, the file was sealed by us, no one can get at it, including Voldemort, we cast a spell on those at the trial, similar to the one we'll be casting on you, so they couldn't talk about it and besides we'd done them an incredible favour and we weren't going to spill to the press how blind they'd been in the first place, they owed us. And sorry Sirius but we can't get you declared innocent quite yet, doing that would mean that they'd accepted Wormtail wasn't dead and if they accepted that…"

Sirius winced reflexively and nodded, he understood, no one had said he had to like it but he did understand and it was nice to have some kind of guarantee that he would be free one day… if he lived long enough that it. Suddenly he shuddered as another though started to form.

"How'd you get Lucius Malfoy to testify, it's not like Fudge would believe anything against his favourite."

"Draco Malfoy helped us." Heero answered, watching Quatre carefully as his head dropped.

"Why would Draco Malfoy help you…" Ron's scornful voice was ignored as Heero inwardly winced, and seeing what might happen if the conversation was allowed to continue Hermione quickly switched the conversation to that of Harry's love life a topic she wasn't feeling particularly comfortable with.

"So you're…" Hermione seemed to be having problems with the words, "_together_, with them? You're seeing them, _romantically_."

Heero nodded warily, frowning at the clumsy change of subject, all the while eyeing her cautiously; unsure of how she was going to react. He had expected this from the less level headed member of their trio but, to be fair to Ron, he had grown up in a wizarding society and was probably more used to… unorthodox relationships than Hermione.

As it was the redhead was watching the two with a strange expression on his face before he turned back to Harry.

"Soulmates?" He questioned casually.

Heero nodded again.

"_What_?" Hermione started, "soulmates? What are you talking about? The very concept of soulmates is ridiculous, how can you be sure you'll be compatible with a so-called 'soulmate' in fifty years."

"You can be certain that your magic can be compatible Hermione and your magic has a strong influence on a wizard or witches' personality. I'm surprised you've never heard of this before." Ron was the one to explain to his friend what was going on, taking advantage of the rare situation when he actually knew more about something than she did.

"Soulmates aren't that uncommon in the wizarding world among wizards and witches. They're another one of the reasons muggleborns are looked down on. When two soulmates have a child the child is practically guaranteed to be more powerful magically. Squibs tend to be the result of those born from non-soulmate pairings between a witch and a wizard, the main reason arranged marriages are so uncommon in our world. You can practically guarantee that a muggleborn isn't going to be as powerful magically as a child of a soulmate pairing of a witch and wizard and that is something else which makes them inferior in the eyes of some purebloods."

"Oh…" Hermione seemed stunned and both Ron and Heero could see her fighting the urge to sprint down to the library that second.

"Two soulmates though," Ron was grinning at his friend, "well, two at the same time anyway, that's rare but you were never one to do things by halves were you mate?"

"I…"

"Look, I'm not criticising you, I think it's wonderful, we were all beginning to wonder to be honest, if you just hadn't found anyone or if you had and were just ignoring it."

"You can ignore it then?" Hermione had her goal in sight and was determined to learn as much as she could about this new topic as fast as she could.

"Oh yes… you can ignore it, most commonly if one person isn't sure if the other is ready or if they aren't sure that the other person feels the same or if the other person has already been bonded or when they're younger if they are mixing up a crush with a soulmate, that has been known to happen before since no one can actually understand how if feels to meet a soulmate until they have. Occasionally they've known each other for a long time also and they feel it would be easier to ignore it and look for someone else than to make the transition from friend to lover, especially if they aren't sure it's the real thing. We have several soulmates though so it's not the begin all end all if the first one you find isn't ready." Ron was staring at Hermione as he was talking and Heero shook his head.

Zechs stirred suddenly and he moved over to his lover, stroking his long hair until he settled down again and the movement seemed to jerk Ron and Hermione out of the stupor they had settled in.

"You are still Harry though, right?" Sirius had finally managed to put his though into words and was currently staring at Heero who was now turning to watch him with seeming disinterest, "I mean, a future as someone else doesn't mean much, does it? You're still you, just now you've found someone and…"

"Padfoot," Remus' voice broke in, hoarse and quiet, regret clear in every syllable, "we've been over this. Does he even look like Harry? He's not him, the only thing that is the same is the memories and that God-forsaken scar, he doesn't look the same, he doesn't think the same, he doesn't act the same, he's not Harry, he's Heero, maybe because he lived that life most recently or maybe because he was sent to the future with the intention of him becoming like Heero while his being Harry was just an accident. I don't know why it is but Harry doesn't evaluate everyone he sees as a potential enemy, he doesn't carry at least ten concealed weapons on him at all times, he doesn't look at life like a soldier does and he doesn't have the ability to completely turn off his emotions. Heero on the other hand, can do all of those things. Harry and Heero together is Heero with a smile, a laugh and emotions, it's not the same person Sirius, no matter how much you want him to be."

"How do you know that?" Sirius' voice was weak, "how do you know…"

"It's obvious, I can smell it, sense it, feel it, see it. Neither of them are the same."

"Huh?" Three confused sets of eyes turned to him, Heero and Quatre just watched him quietly. "What do you mean, neither of them?"

"I'm half surprised you couldn't tell Padfoot, the person sitting next to our godson is the teenager formerly known as Draco Malfoy, now it's Quatre albeit with a slightly sharper sense of humour and a touch more self assurance."

"What!"

Ron had his wand out in a split-second. Nice reflexes, some part of Heero's brain mused absently, the part that wasn't concentrating on holding a gun to his friend's head that was.

Quatre had a weapon drawn too, a tiny tranquilliser gun was being pointed at Ron's throat by one hand, the other was holding a wicked looking blade, he'd sprung back slightly and now had the whole room in his scope.

Ron froze, along with Hermione, Sirius and Remus, holding their breath.

Quatre sighed when he realised what he was doing and dropped the arm holding the knife, though the gun he kept trained.

"Ok, so that wasn't the best start for a re-introduction but you're going to have to understand that we are _dangerous_ and we could probably kill any of you in our sleep. It's mostly very acute instincts though so don't do anything stupid, like pulling a weapon on one of us for example," he stressed the words, shooting a slight glare at the redhead. "And we won't have to kill you." He grinned brightly, "how's that?"

Ron's eyes darkened, "Give me one reason why we should trust a filthy Slytherin Deatheater?"

Quatre's eyes flashed, "Because I am not a deatheater and never will be, because I willingly gave Lucius Malfoy over to the Ministry, because Slytherin does not equate evil and because if you know anything about your friend you'll know that Harry trusts me and that you should trust him."

Ron shook his head, "I don't buy it, it's probably a plan to gain our trust so you can gain access to our…"

"Ron…"

"No," the red-headed Gryffindor didn't move, "I refuse to relax while… _that_," he spat the word, seemingly unable to find a strong enough insult, "is in the same room."

Not dropping his weapon he turned pleading eyes on Heero who was still pointing a gun at him unwaveringly, "come on mate, who are you gonna trust, me or a Slytherin?"

Heero exchanged a look with Quatre.

Hermione cleared her throat, "what did Professor Lupin mean?" Heero's eyes flickered to her momentarily the announce to her that he was listening and to urge her to continue. "He said," she swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. "He said you were a soldier, that you carried weapons. You've killed, haven't you?" Heero hesitated and gave a sharp nod, "how many? Harry? How many?"

A few seconds later Quatre answered for him, "Hundreds, thousands maybe tens of thousands, men women and children, soldier and civilians, dead, we've all done things we aren't proud of Hermione."

She looked broken, "why?"

"Because there was no other way," the words were mater-of-fact and to the point, said in the manner of someone who had debated his words a million times, following the path of every what if until it threatened to drive him mad.

She shook her head, unable to deal with that combined with the sight before her, "no."

"I've made mistakes Hermione, we all have and if I was given the chance to change things there is no way I can say that I wouldn't so it but on the whole the choice was to fight or to die."

She shook her head again, "no!"

He sighed and dropped the arm that was holding the gun to his side, following his cue Quatre did the same, "I'm sorry Hermione."

"Huh?" The girl didn't manage to get any more out before Heero and Quatre overtook her words with one spoken in unison.

"Oblivate."

Ron and Hermione slumped to the floor in unison and Heero allowed his head to fall to his chest, Quatre moved over to him and hugged him lightly.

"I'm sorry Heero." The brunette pilot shook his head, "you didn't need to do that you know, you could have just erased the memories of me and-"

"No," Heero cut in, "if they were going to work with us then they needed to know who we were and what we were capable of and right now, they're just too young for me to be able to deal with and not be worried about what they're doing or what they're saying."

"What…" Sirius seemed to be having problems with English, "What…?"

Quatre looked at him, sapphire eyes sad, "have you ever heard the phrase 'It is better to seek forgiveness than beg permission?" Sirius shook his head, "It's a saying from the Muggle military that I believe is a particularly prudent statement here."

"As if you're upset," Sirius spat, thinking while he did so that Ron may have been right with his assessment, "you didn't want him to tell them in the first place."

Quatre just watched him, releasing Heero's arm as the brunette made his way towards his lovers on the beds, "no I didn't," he agreed easily, "because I feared a situation like this, I did however understand Heero's need to try and was willing to attempt it for his sake, however I was concerned, it is difficult to understand the lives we lead and the things we've done, especially for ones as young as Ron and Hermione are. Maybe when we have more time to explain without the threat of Voldemort hanging over us the conversation will go better."

Sirius opened his mouth again and Remus hastily put a hand on his shoulder, "yes," he agreed softly, "maybe it will."

Unlike Sirius he could smell the grief pouring from both Heero and Quatre though their faces didn't show anything and unlike Sirius he understood just how much he failed to comprehend the enormity of what the act of oblivating the two Gryffindors had done to them both.

"Come on," he said quietly, "picking up Hermione, watching in awe as Harry managed to lift Ron's far more gangly frame without even seeming to work at it, "let's deal with these two first. Then you can tell us what you plan to do."

**Fin Chapter 12**

AN – Ok I was worried about Quatre's characterisation in this one because I thought I'd made him too mean, then I thought about it and realised that this is his Draco coming into play as Heero's Harry did when he failed with the memory charm, the original draft of this chappie had R&H finding out and then I thought about it and realised that they have a lot of growing up to do. Quatre is edge in this chap because he understands exactly what would happen if one of them messes up and says something to the wrong person or decides that they don't agree at the last second, they're both Gryffindors and very idealistic, coming to terms with the lifestyle the pilots would be very difficult plus Q is a strategist, he needs to trust the people he's working with and in this situation he recognised that Heero may be seeing the situation with a bias, he wants his friend to be happy but realises what it could cost, just as Heero does in the end…

And boy was that a long author's note!


	13. Chapter 13

AN Far too long since the last update but hopefully the length makes up for it and on the bright hand side I've beaten four separate coursework deadlines since I last updated. Thanks to Dreamweaver and everyone else who has reviewed, without you I would, honestly never have gotten this finished.

Disclaimer/Summary/Rating – Please see first chapter

**A Place in Time **

**Chapter 13**

Having deposited the unconscious Ron and Hermione in the infirmary with strict instructions to Madame Pomfrey Heero and Remus had returned to the, far more private, infirmary suite they were staying in, where they found Quatre explaining laptops to a fascinated Sirius.

He was half way through a crude explanation of how the Internet worked when they heard the laughter coming down the corridor that led to the rooms.

Duo, Wufei and Trowa entered, Duo laughing, Trowa looking almost angry and Wufei with a tolerant expression on his face.

"Did you see…? And when he…" Duo managed to choke the words out before he started laughing again and, if the expressions on the other's face were anything to go by, it was at least the tenth time he said something similar.

"Have fun?" Quatre asked, looking up with a clearly amused expression on his face, "you're back quickly."

"Yeah well, you've a mansion right outside HQ gates Q, it didn't take long to get there and back, even with a little stop off in the training hall to contend with."

Duo slung an arm around Quatre's shoulders but let go quickly as Trowa growled.

"Ok, sorry! Not wanting to sleep with Q! Sorry to disappoint ya Quatre but I'm already with someone." Trowa growled again and Duo darted across the room to hide behind his lover as Trowa pulled the blonde up and protectively wrapped his arm round Quatre's waist.

Quatre looked startled. "Okay, not that I'm complaining but… what?"

"You're mine." Trowa muttered in the blonde's ear, "and don't you ever forget it."

Quatre patted him on the arm reassuringly. "Of course I am, erm Duo… what?"

Duo grinned, having finally been able to stop sniggering, "it's fine Q, it's all good, Tro's just feeling a bit… erm… possessive and protective right now."

"Yes Duo. I think he can see that." Wufei muttered softly, "I believe the question he was asking was '_what_ happened' not, '_what's_ happening'."

"Wufei?" Quatre asked as he was pulled down onto his lover's lap. Trowa gently nuzzled his neck and Quatre tilted his head automatically, his eyes falling shut in pleasure before abruptly realising where he was and who he was with.

Flushing red he made the introductions. "Remus, Sirius, I can call you that can't I?" Upon nods of assurance he continued, "this is Trowa, he's my lover, that's Wufei and that's Duo, behind him. They're gundam pilots too. Guys this is Remus and Sirius," he nodded to each in turn. "They're Heero's Godparents."

Suddenly piercing eyes turned on the American and Chinese pilots, "now, are you going to tell me what happened?"

"Well I gave my report in, we called the girls too, let then know that their various relations were beginning to wake up, they should be back in a couple of days by the way…"

"Yes Duo this is a very nice story but it also has nothing to do with telling me why Trowa's acting like I'm about to run away." Quatre muttered impatiently.

Duo shot him a dirty look and Wufei rolled his eyes, taking over the explanation. "We were listening outside the hall, the latest batch of those accepted for higher training were there and there was no one watching them, they were just waiting. They were talking about us, the gundam pilots that is, apparently they'd heard that we were supposed to be teaching them, though where they got the idea that we would waste any of our time teaching that dishonourable pack of…"

"Fei." Duo cut him off.

"Right, so one of them was muttering that they weren't so tough really, that we were all gagging for it and that if he got the chance he'd have 'that blonde slut, 04' moaning under him like a bitch in heat'."

"Tro kinda lost it then, just ahead of us actually, good job too cos I don't think I'd've stopped smashing the little fucker's head into the ground" Duo grinned, "_and_ if… er… _when_ the guy regains consciousness he'll be informed that he no longer has a place at the Preventers. His mates have been kicked out too, their faces when we told them were priceless. They kept stammering how we couldn't do that, then Sanders, you remember him? He was one of those who ran the Treize faction. He's the one in charge of training them, poor guy. Anyway he tells them that actually yes we could. It was great, all this time Tro's still pounding on the guy on the floor and nobody's moving to help him and I'm including Sanders in this, then Tro picks him up and dumps him over the water cooler before walking out."

"What he's missing out is that half the time those watching were torn between watching the guy get beaten up and watching this Baka debate between going in to help Trowa turn the guy into a pulp and falling to the floor in hysterical laughter." Wufei broke in, tugging his lover's braid, in response Duo started to laugh again.

"You didn't kill him?" Quatre turned to look at his lover.

"No."

"Good." Heero broke in and all the others turned to look at him in surprise, "now Quatre gets to ruin him before he dies." That was more like it.

"Well," the blonde smiled angelically, stroking his lover's hair, "it's towards the war effort after all, hearing things like that about those who saved the world can only bring morale down. I'd really be doing the world a favour. I'll ask Une for his name next time I see her."

Sirius was watching awkwardly as his Godson _smiled _at the though of this human's demise but then again, he mused, if it had been one of his friends that the, now, human pulp was talking about he would probably have reacted the same way. What was really scary was the fact that they had the ability to make the threats happen. Then again, when he was fifteen, before he'd left his family, he'd had that ability too.

"I think you'd better be getting back now Sirius." Remus' quiet voice broke into his thoughts and he could have hugged his oldest friend for giving him a way out. It wasn't that he didn't want to see his Godson but he honestly couldn't cope without having some time to get to grips with the new facts.

"Probably…" Sirius watched Harry for any reaction to the words, he turned as he felt eyes on him.

"I'll be here later you know, Voldemort or notI've been defying Shinigami for years, I'm not going to stop now. Not now I've got something to live for."

With a sinking heart Sirius realised that the 'something to live for' wasn't himself, Remus, Ron, Hermione, the wizarding world, Albus or anything even similar. It was his lover's and possibly his new family, Duo, Trowa, Quatre and Wufei. In a bizarre twist, he realised, a Malfoy had taken the spot above him in his Godson's affections.

It was with a heavy heart that he transformed and left the hospital wing with Remus.

Heero watched them exit and heard the door swing shut, he wasn't stupid, he knew what they were thinking.

"I don't know what I was expecting." He muttered harshly. "There's no way they'd treat me the same after they found out and even if they did I don't think that would feel right either, I'm not Harry, I'm Heero now, I don't know if they'll be able to see that. I don't know if I even want them to. It would be so much easier to oblivate them permanently and just disappear; I could easily fake my death after all."

"Do you honestly think they'd turn on you?" Duo asked quietly.

"I don't know, I think that they think they wouldn't but the only people who actually have any idea what the world we came from was like are Professors McGonagall, Snape and Dumbledore, and even they don't really believe it. Would Sirius, Remus, Ron and Hermione even want to know if I told them, would they believe me? Would they be able to cope if they did believe it? I'm not me anymore, I don't want to be what they class as me anymore, I can't go back to being a naïve, wannabe normal who can't accept that he has a job to do."

"You don't have to go back, it's a matter of whether they'd accept you as you are now." Wufei remarked.

"Yeah?" Heero looked at them, "well you can probably guess Ron and Hermione's response considering their absence but fact of the matter is I don't know if I need or even want their acceptance. Harry spent his entire life trying to please everyone else. I can't do that and I don't know whether I want to even try. It doesn't really matter to me, if I cared about them… it would… right?"

As if on cue Treize mumbled something under his breath and turned over, it seemed he was coming out of his enforced coma a lot easier than Zechs was.

"There's why it doesn't matter." Quatre said in a whisper, "you have people who care about you for who you are now, you have a home and a life to go back to. If they can't accept you then you don't lose anything. You can leave this world, like you said you could fake your death or something and return to our world with only the knowledge remaining. You said it yourself Heero, you're more him than Harry, Harry just helped you to have a wider perspective of the world, like Draco did me. You don't really need him or anything else associated with _this_ world."

"What about you then?" Trowa was staring intently at his lover, "this is your world as much as it is Heero's, are you planning to stay here after the war's over?"

"No," the answer was perfect and concise and Heero waited for the explanation he knew was coming. "I'm not staying because I don't need to, I have a life in the future, I have a family, both one I was born in to and one I chose," he looked round at the other pilots, his gaze finally settling on Trowa, "I have a lover who loves me and whom I love more than anyone else in the world. I have a job there, I have a life there, I don't need anything from here and, other than the money I inherited, I have nothing here. No reason to stay. Now you have to decide, Heero, if _you_ do."

Heero didn't say a word, he just turned to look at the bed's that contained his, still sleeping lovers.

"Don't worry," Wufei said softly, "they're both strong, they'll wake up soon."

Heero nodded. "Can one of you watch them? I need a shower." Upon seeing the nods he gave a small smile to his family and walked into the on suite bathroom, summoning Dobby to ask him to bring him new clothes and remove his old ones as he did so.

The other's watched him go.

"You think he'll be ok?" Duo asked softly

"Yeah," Quatre answered, "yeah I do, I just think he's having problems adjusting to the fact that some things that were so important to him as Harry now seem…"

"Insignificant." Wufei finished.

"Exactly."

Duo nodded. "Right then, not to change the subject but I think we have a problem, you said that Zechs and Treize arrived in the suits they were fighting the last battle with yes?" He gaze darkened suddenly as Quatre nodded, "Well that means we've got an Epyon gundam on the grounds doesn't it? Now the question is, what are we going to do about it?"

"Well we can't leave them here." Quatre started as he sat on a chair round the table they were using as a conference table.

"Thank you for that piece of ground-breaking news Quatre Winner," Wufei muttered as he lowered himself into the chair opposite the blonde. Instantly he was fixed with twin glares from Quatre and Trowa, "sorry, sorry."

"Well we can't," Quatre finished glaring at the Chinese pilot and turned to regard the whole table. "We don't know how they got here either so we can't send them back, not that I wanted to send Epyon back anyway."

"Obviously the system needs to be dismantled, if we could just remove that we might have a perfectly good gundam," Trowa spoke quietly as he leafed through the numerous pages or notes and diagrams Une had delivered until he found the page relating to the Epyon's circuit board. "But from what I can tell there's no way of removing the ZERO system from the machine without removing the entire system. Treize knew what he was doing when he made that thing, everything is fused together."

"So Epyon needs to go completely," Duo said, "unless anyone wanted to keep it for tests or something," he looked around the table, every one of the pilots shaking his head at the question, Heero was shuddering at the thought, but then again he was the only one of them who'd actually piloted the machine wasn't he. He himself still had nightmares from his experience with ZERO; he could only imagine what an upgrade from that must be like.

"How can we destroy it though? It's not like we can take it back with us for regulation destruction, besides it's made of gundanium, who knows if that would work anyway. I don't fancy leaving pieces of it round here, in this world, do you? Gundanium doesn't even exist yet, what if someone finds some of it."

The green-eyed pilot's question caused many frowns from the others who were also considering the prospect of scientists coming across the Epyon circuit board and somehow figuring how to put it back together or tests that would show that the metal was something new. They all knew that gundanium wasn't supposed to have been discovered yet.

Duo threw up his hands in exasperation, "it's such a pity we can't just shrink it."

"No can do." Quatre shook his head, "during a shrinking spell the object doesn't actually change, what changes is the space between the two particles. The object is just a lot denser, it weighs just as much."

"Well shrink it and cast a lightening charm too then."

"Can't do that either, once we got to the future all the magic would be erased and that would leave us trying to get out of a fireplace with a forty-foot gundam on top of us, not the easiest task I would imagine."

"And we can't just shrink it and leave it here?"

"No again, I'm afraid, gundanium doesn't erode and that means that in about five hundred years, when magic runs out the spell would wear off and the gundam would still be here, the Epyon in all it's glory would suddenly appear. No we can't just hide it, we need to destroy it."

"Surely there's a spell for ultimate destruction and if there isn't can't you and Heero just make one, like you did with the spell you cast on us before, the silencing one."

Quatre opened his mouth and then closed it as he thought the suggestion through, maybe… there had to be something right?

"We can't come up with a new spell," he said slowly, "that would take far too long, it took us them three months to put the one that we're using now together and we had had double the time really thanks to the timeturners. We could always move the suit to the forbidden forest or something until the spell was ready but… there would be the risk, even just by moving it, that the suit would take over the pilot."

"Current muggle means then," Trowa asked, "surely they have a system for dealing with dangerous items of warfare, such as nuclear weapons, would one of their systems work or is the Epyon too advanced?"

"Probably too advanced."

"Right," Duo muttered dryly, "so we can't take it to the future, we can't leave it here, we can't just blow it up cos the pieces will still be here, we can't hide it, we can't use magic to get rid of it and muggle methods of destruction are out too. Well I'm outta ideas, how about you guys?"

"I didn't say we couldn't use magic," Quatre defended his words, "I said we couldn't make a new spell, we'll just have to hope that the one we need already exists."

"Roughly what are the chances of it existing?" Wufei was obviously expecting the worst.

"Quite high actually, what we have to worry about is if we can get a hold of the spell, it's not going to be in the charms section of the library or something, this is powerful dark magic we're talking about, it wouldn't have thought it would even be in the restricted section."

Duo stared at him, "Q do you enjoy pouring cold water over all our plans or is it just…?"

Quatre glared and cut him off. "No! I just think if we're going to plan to do something we should have all the facts first."

"Right, right."

Heero ran a towel over his hair shaking off the excess water as he joined the group started to speak slowly and thoughtfully. "Could we not bring equipment from the future to dismantle it? Some of the smaller modern tools they're using to dismantle the mobile suits, I know those are being done by hand."

All the pilots were thinking this time, three of them may not know immense amounts about the warfare of this time or magical methods of destruction but future mechanics were well within their scope of knowledge.

"That might work," Duo murmured consideringly, "It would have to be something small that we brought back, something we could transport easily and not too heavy. Once we got it here though, we could use magic to direct it so most of the large machinery they're using in AC196 wouldn't be necessary…"

"We'll talk to Une when we're done moving them," Heero said decisively, "we don't have to pilot them after all, a really powerful 'wingardium leviosa' might work just as well."

"Not a transporting spell?"

"Not on the grounds, there's something strange about the wards that has a problem with apparition and transportation spells."

"Right then." Duo nodded decisively, "we'll move them now, it's getting dark anyway."

Pleased with the seemingly inevitable success and the fact that the prickle at the back of his mind, the one that had been there since the gundams had landed, the one he recognised from his experience with the Epyon system, Heero sat back with a smile, a smile that fell off his face as he heard the unmistakable set of footsteps coming down the corridor.

Albus Dumbledore stepped into the room, somewhat gratified to realise that each of the pilots was looking at him with varying expressions on their faces.

"Gentlemen," he beamed, there was no noticeable change in their features, I was wondering if you would please come with me? There are some people I would appreciate it if you would meet for me."

Glances were exchanged and Heero and Quatre took off for the forest by wordless agreement, they knew it better after all.

Dumbledore watched them confusedly but the blank expressions on the faces of the others must have convinced him not to probe.

"Don't worry Headmaster," Duo chirruped after a few seconds, "they'll catch us up, there's just something they have to do first."

* * *

Standing in the doorway, three of the five most teenagers in existence listened to the conversations in the room and watching the scene in front of them with disdain.

Eventually someone deigned to notice them, a young woman, fairly pretty, with neon pink hair, she wore Order robes and a harried expression, an expression that changed to amusement when she spotted the pilots.

"Please don't tell me that's it Albus?"

Following her line of sight the dozen or so other occupants in the room also turned to stare at them. Incredulousness and bemusement settled on most of the faces with a sense of extreme annoyance underlaying.

Towards the back of the room Sirius and Remus slouched, with almost identical poses, against the wall Duo met their eyes curiously, he'd thought they were leaving.

In an answer to the unspoken question Sirius rolled his eyes while Remus' flickered to the Headmaster who was standing in front of them, proudly displaying his find to the room.

Severus Snape and Minerva McGonagall sat towards the back of the room, seemingly content to watch the show.

Molly and Arthur Weasley who had been talking together quietly now watched with an open curiosity as Albus splayed his hands, inviting the room to admire and awe at his prize. Molly's eyes were starting to darken though as she took in the age of the newcomers. Wufei watched with disinterest as she seemingly prepared to launch an attack upon Albus for daring to bring children into this war.

A tall black man stood to the side, weighing and summarily dismissing them and their capabilities as he took in their age and their slight builds.

Duo's grin, when it came, was one of pure evil and it was only Trowa stepping forward and preparing to speak that saved the room from a suitable demonstration of their capabilities by the braided young man.

Instead the soft, far more rarely heard tones of the banged pilot's voice attracted the attention of the room and held it, uncompromisingly, though he had yet to raise his voice.

"Do you trust your leader?"

The seemingly innocent question had several of the people in the room bristling, tripping over their answers to reaffirm their faith in the Headmaster and reproach the teenager for his presumptuousness.

Trowa smiled gently and the other pilots unconsciously stepped back before settling in to watch the show. "I'll take that as a yes, surely then, you will take him at his word that we are, as he has presumably told you, very dangerous people, despite our appearance."

Seeing the Weasley matriarch open her mouth he fixed her with a sharp stare until she closed it again and he continued.

"If, on the other hand, you do not trust him, then surely you must also recognise that we could have been tricking him, we may be extremely dangerous disguised Deatheaters."

Trowa's eyes flashed as he scanned the room.

Slowly the sound of clapping came from a corner, it carried on even as the sound of a wooden leg clunking against the floor appeared and Alastor 'Mad Eye' Moody appeared.

"Well put young man." The voice was gnarled and harsh but there was a faint sense of approval in it. "I take it you are the secret weapons Albus has promised us."

Three pairs of eyes watched him silently.

An equally terse laugh greeted their silence, "I take it you're some of the few who don't believe that leaving this war to Harry Potter is the best thing to do."

Even Albus frowned at that but it was the pink haired woman who spoke, "Harry Potter is destined-"

"Harry Potter," Wufei broke in, "is a child, like it or not, prophecy or not and no matter how righteous," he shot a glance at the Headmaster who stared back with cold eyes, "you consider yourself you are expecting a child to fight your lost war for you. So what if he defeated Voldemort when he was a baby? Surely he hasn't shown any particular abilities since, no particularly incredible intelligence, no unimaginable displays of power, nor has he immersed himself in the politics of this world. He has done nothing but show incredible luck, an aptitude for defense and created far too much work for the most overworked guardian angel in the universe."

"Nevertheless this is his war." Surprisingly the words came from Moody who appeared to be probing their understanding and opinions.

"Harry Potter has no idea what war is." The words came from the doorway where two more teenagers stood.

Quatre and Heero slipped into the room easily in the silence that followed Quatre's vehement announcement.

"More children Albus!" Molly exploded. "How can you-"

"Success?" The one word question from Duo was met with a smile and a nod from Quatre and a withering glance from Heero for the fact that Duo would even consider it necessary to ask.

"Une?"

"I contacted her and she fully agrees with our assessment of the situation, she's going to send the necessary materials needed to effectively dispose of the gundams as soon as she can procure them."

"What's a gundam?" The voice stumbled over the unfamiliar word and language and the young woman fought a shudder as five sets of heartless eyes flashed to her.

"Miss…"

"Er… Tonks, but just Tonks is fine."

The blonde teenager nodded regally, "Tonks, I believe that you are not the only one who has been wanting to know the answer to that." His eyes flickered to a point to the right of him where Heero was setting up a small machine on a table, opening it up his fingers started to fly over the keys.

Finding the folder his fingers worked faster as he disabled and worked through his own security protocols acceding to the requests from the computer for passwords, fingerprints, retina scans and voice confirmation with a hesitation only noticed by four others in the room, nevertheless, it was clear to all that this was a file Heero did not enter much

Scrolling through the files with codenames incomprehensible to all but him Heero eventually selected one and opened it, waiting for it to load he turned to the room as a whole, "this is a Gundam."

There was silence across the room as the shooting stars that had initially been reported filled the screen and, after Heero had hit a button, appeared in the air above the laptop as a hologram.

The initial shot with the announcer vanished suddenly and was instantly replaced with a far more personal piece of footage. Taken from the security feeds of an OZ base Heero flinched as Sally Po's voice filled the room, calling for him.

The footage followed the pilot as he left the machine he had been residing in and worked his way through the base. Jaws dropped as steel bars were bent out of place and the pilot squeezed through. Another shot and Heero and Duo were taking a flying leap from the top of a building and down a cliff.

The shot transposed to one of Treize Khushrenada with Zechs next to him, mask firmly in place, speaking of the gundams, but even as he swore to destroy them the admiration in his voice was clear.

Images now of another OZ compound, fire gundams standing against an entire battalion of suits, ruthlessly and effortlessly destroying despite the odds.

Pictures stolen from a Cancer suit seconds before it exploded showed Duo swinging a thermal energy weapon underwater, sentencing the suit and pilot to a watery grave.

More pictures of the pilots as Trowa, wearing a uniform, held a gun to Heero's head irresponsive to the fury and hatred so clear in the other's eyes. Further on Two gundams facing off against a third, a third that had just destroyed a colony, one taking the shot for the other. Quatre closed his eyes as the damaged suit flew up and exploded.

On a colony as Duo was dragged through the streets, no energy to fight or even look away as the jeering crowds spat on his, one occasionally breaking free of the barriers to deliver a bone crunching kick to the broken and bruised young man's ribs.

The Deathscythe pilot didn't flinch, Heero's, fairly spectacular jail break that followed not even causing a flicker of emotion in the cool violet eyes but as the scream from the Duo on screen after watching his beloved Gundam destroyed reverberated round the room he tossed his hair slightly in an excuse to look away, if only for a split second.

Mobile dolls appeared next, hundreds and thousands torn down mercilessly, why have mercy for a machine?

Specials soldiers embarking under Zechs' careful supervision transposed into a shot of Heero wearing the uniform of the Treize faction. Another flash and they were watching as suits, people and entire towns crumbled under the sheer force of the Epyon gundam.

Relena appeared now, recognising her as the composed young woman they had met a few days previously the professors sat up straighter startled by the difference of her appearance then and of the event on the screen, dressed as the queen of Earth. This time though the camera's picked up on what all but one terrified teenaged girl had missed the first time, focussing on the teenage assassin hidden behind the curtain on the balcony.

The final shot was, appropriately, the final act of the war, Treize and Zechs' troops faces off, five insignificant teenagers caught in the middle. Treize stepping forwards into Wufei's strike and it was the Chinese pilot's turn to flinch, Heero's face growing blanker as Zechs' gundam destroyed the weapon threatening Earth. Numbness clearly setting in as every suit, without exception, hung motionless in space, staring at the explosion.

The end of the Eve Wars.

"When…" Albus' voice sounded almost like it had cracked but of course that was impossible, "when was this."

Heero's gaze was fiercely fixed on the screen as he withdrew from the system, clacking keys with ruthless efficiency. Nonetheless the image remained above the laptop, the clear up, thousands of suits, hundreds of bodies being removed. Abruptly the image cut out as Heero backtracked furiously.

"Last month," Quatre responded, voice cool and untroubled, "that last battle took place on December 24, Christmas Eve."

"The feast…" A disbelieving voice broke the silence that followed this, "You weren't there, neither of you, we didn't notice."

Quatre started the Transfiguration professor in the eye, "no," he agreed without inflection, "you didn't but to be honest you weren't meant to, we hadn't been around for a while. Fewer people notice absences at Christmas."

"Those machines," the awe in the voice made them turn, "they're magnificent if we could-"

Quatre's eyes darkened and abruptly he lurched forward, opening the laptop he opened it and barked.

"Search all video accessible files! Quatre Winner, Wing ZERO."

As soon as a file popped up he opened it, "That's me," he snapped, punching a finger at the screen.

This time the footage took a darker meaning as they watched the battle between the three gundams, the destruction of the colony.

As soon as the track was finished he was moving again though his voice was softer this time as he called, "Search all video accessible files. Epyon."

The rapt audience watched again as the suit razed everything recognisable as civilisation to the ground.

"That," Heero spoke quietly, " is the Epyon system, we have that gundam in the forest outside, the problem with that system is that it warps your perceptions, both suits brainwash the pilot, makes that believe that absolute peace is the only way."

"Peace?" The surprised exclamation came from several people at once but it was Minerva who continued it, "Why would peace be so bad?"

Quatre met her eyes, Heero watched the Potions Master who wore an expression of sick comprehension.

"There is a big difference between peace and absolute peace." Duo answered eventually, "one exists as the lack of war in general, the other is more… complete and definitely more final, absolute peace… Well, let's just say that the only way to achieve absolute peace is if there is no one left to compromise it, the pilot loses all comprehension of what is right or wrong, of who is enemy or ally, they are all fighting and so must be destroyed. In a war situation I'm very much afraid that would include you also."

Silence followed Duo's speech as those listening digested it and Quatre stepped forwards again.

"There will be no use of the Gundams, not the least because they don't exist yet," there was no humour in Quatre's smile, "believe us we've looked."

"Nevertheless, surely you must realise that this is no normal battlefield. People are going to die in immeasurable, screaming agony, you are going to have to go and use every possibly tool existing for the continued survival of your society, of your people and your world. There may be honour in war but there is none in survival. The Deatheaters have already accepted this and now it is time for you to go out and use every weapon in your arsenal."

"You cannot be suggesting we use Unforgiveables?" Horrified eyes rested on the green eyes pilot.

"Just because we cannot give you gundams it does not mean we cannot help you at all, how much would you be willing to bet that Voldie isn't going to be expecting anyone to shoot him. In fact," a slow smile slid over Duo's crooked lips, "how much would you be willing to bet that very few Deatheaters have even seen a muggle gun, a P90 can fire nine hundred rounds a minute, that's fifteen a second, how many wizards can fire spells that quickly?"

"What exactly are you proposing?"

Five sets of cold and uncompromising eyes scanned the room, "a final strike, a win or lose battle, one last chance before this all gets too out of hand. After that this is your war, you handle it."

Heero left abruptly and with no warning at this, Quatre's eyes widened with comprehension and he hurried quickly after him.

Closing the gaps Heero and Quatre's departures had left Duo, Wufei and Trowa didn't blink, didn't break eye contact and didn't flinch.

"Think about it." Trowa murmured softly. "Before it's too late."

* * *

When Zechs awoke the first thing he saw was a pair of blue eyes looking at him and the first thing he noticed was that they were lighter than Heero's but darker than Treize's. Blinking again the world came into a bit more focus and he realised that the eyes were attached to a woman dressed as a nurse, or what would have been a nurse a millennia ago.

She was murmuring gently and he forced his ears to listen.

"It's ok dearie, now you just lie still, we don't want you to do yourself any more damage do we?"

Testing out his limbs he realised that he actually felt fine, that wasn't right was it, there was no way he'd gotten into heaven and he somehow didn't think that Hell was populated by kindly women from another time who actually seemed to be worrying about him. Therefore he must be alive, that was impossible though, there was no way he could have survived, let alone have come out unscathed from the explosion that…

Abruptly a lifetime of memories rushed over him, the revolution, meeting Treize, OZ, fighting Heero, meeting Heero, Whitefang, his plan for the Earth, the white light and searing pain, landing hard, knowing this was the end and then… seeing Heero and Quatre, realising that his ex-lover was going to get to kill him after all, seeing Treize again… Hang on, his plan for the Earth… Oh God… the Earth!

Forcing his body to sit up he was instantly pushed back down again by the same young woman, realising abruptly that he must be weaker than he'd though.

"Zechs…" Turning his head minutely he was just in time to see Heero rush into the room and completely disregarding the nurse as he did so.

Deciding to examine the impossibilities of both his and Heero's survival later Zechs shot a desperate and pleading look at him. Heero frowned once and then his eyes widened in comprehension. "The Earth is fine Zechs, I promise you it's fine."

Zechs eyes were pleading with him to be telling the truth and he reassured the man once again. "Calm down!" It was whispered softly but clearly an order. "The Earth is _fine_, I promise, you're on it right now, in a school in Scotland."

Seeing the truth in his eyes Zechs relaxed and instantly another thought hit him, Treize?

Heero gave a small smile, "Treize is fine too. He's still asleep but he should wake up soon and when he does I'll explain what is going on."

Zechs' eyes were now asking one last question, one Heero was having trouble interpreting, "What?"

The blonde coughed weakly and attempted to clear his throat finally managing to croak one world, "you?"

Heero's face crumbled slightly, God's he didn't deserved him. "I'm fine, honestly fine. I'm sorry Zechs… so sorry."

"Sorry too."

"Stop talking, it's bad for you." Heero ordered, his voice was perfectly steady; if you weren't listening carefully. If you were you could hear it hitching slightly.

"Love you."

Heero's face creased again and his heart melted at hearing the words he thought he'd finally sacrificed ever hearing again, "love you too but stop talking, ok? Sleep, you'll be alright, I won't let anything happen to you, I swear."

As Zechs drifted back off to sleep Heero threw his head back, staring at the ceiling, biting his lip.

"I told you he'd be okay, Quatre's voice came from the shadows as he emerged from the corner of the room

"Yes, I know."

Quatre stepped forwards and led him into a chair.

"How did you know?"

Heero nodded towards the nurse who was checking and double-checking vital signs inconspicuously in a corner.

Quatre smiled at her and at this cue Heero nodded awkwardly, "thank you." His tongue tripped over the words.

"That's alright." She smiled at him reassuringly, "we all do strange things when we're worried about the ones we love."

Heero bowed his head. "Sorry about that."

"Not a problem." She gave him a motherly look that he had seen many times before, though never in this body and for a second he felt his heart ache fiercely for the innocence he had lost far too long ago. Though Harry had never truly had a happy life melding with Heero had certainly driven away any illusions about the world.

Sometimes he missed the ignorance, it was infinitely easier.

He was dragged out of these thoughts by Duo's teasing voice.

"Heero Yuy apologising, am I going to have to skate to work tomorrow?"

Wufei wapped him on the head and Heero looked up with a faint smile.

"Not quite Shinigami, though you might need to invest in some ice skates if they actually deign to listen to us."

"You never know. After all, they're desperate," Quatre mused, "Who knows how far desperation can take people."

"Indeed," Wufei agreed, "I just hope it's not too far and far enough at the same time, they've already come dangerously close to crossing the line several times."

"All we can do is hope." Duo agreed.

Heero's eyes grew cold, "no it's not. It was the truth, this isn't our war and it was never my war. They abandoned me, first to the Muggle world and then to the horrors of a magical battlefield with little-to-no training. If Treize and Zechs could travel I would leave right now, but as it is I can't. But that doesn't mean I'm going to let them mess it up if I have to fight in it. I have too much to live for now."

Duo's eyes were glowing with the adrenaline of anticipated battle for the first time in a long time as Heero's eyes, equally alight, met his.

"What did you have in mind?"

**End Chapter 13 **

**AN** Well, this seems to be, fairly unbelievably drawing to a close, though that's a good few chapters away yet believe me, the end, though, is in sight.


	14. Chapter 14

AN – Well, believe it or not this is finished. I know I said in the author's not last chapter that it was a few chapters away and I did debate posting this in two chapters but it just seemed to flow and this is it. The end.

Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed this fic, you honestly have no idea how important knowing people are interested in this has been to me. Thanks for sticking with me through this. If it wasn't for a few pointed reminders about how long the updates have been I doubt this would ever have been finished.

I have seriously enjoyed this project and it is easily the longest thing that I have ever written. Thanks to anyone who's read it and anyone who's going to read it. Hope you like the ending; it wasn't what I'd originally planned… In fact, it's about as far away form the original ending as it's possible to get but nevertheless I'm quite happy with it, I hope you are too.

Summary/Rating/Disclaimer – Please see first chapter

**A Place in Time**

**Chapter Fourteen**

Albus made the announcement at breakfast on the Monday morning.

"And I'm sorry to have to inform you that Harry Potter will not be joining us this year due to a rather brutal training schedule in preparation for the war. I assure you he's perfectly fine." At the Gryffindor table Ron and Hermione were staring at him with expressions that said they would be discussing this later, he stared right back at them, looking them straight in the eyes until Ron turned away and Hermione blushed. " On another note though, all meals following this one will be served in your common rooms. The Great Hall is out of bounds from nine this morning until further notice. I apologise sincerely for this but there is no other option"

Flames lit behind him and he turned. "Dorothy, Relena," he greeted the new arrivals as the exited the fireplace gracefully. "How may I be of assistance?"

Relena smiled. "Just dropping off a few presents for the boys Albus. A few gifts from the Lady."

Albus nodded and inclined his head towards the door. "Please."

Relena nodded back graciously and exited, Dorothy following her a split second later, a sardonic smile tracing her lips.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

"Hello Mill." Relena smiled at the man who was looking at her groggily. She stroked a finger lightly over his forehead, brushing the blonde strands aside.

"Hey," he croaked.

She beamed and reached for the ice chips that were by the bed, spelled so they would never melt.

"Feeling better?" He nodded and she glared at him until he closed his eyes to make a more thorough inspection of his physical condition.

Surprise came over his face as he concluded the self-assessment and realised that he actually did feel 'fine'.

"I'm alright Relena," he grimaced at the feeling in his throat and coughed to clear it. "I'm just a bit tired."

"Which means you're exhausted," Relena translated. "Honestly you're all the same." She shot an annoyed look at Heero who was looking over some paper at the desk, glancing up every so often in amusement.

True to her words though his eyes fluttered a second later and he was once again sleeping. Relena turned to the nurse, who had stood back as Relena spoke to him. "How is he, really?"

The nurse turned to Heero, an unsure look on her face. He nodded.

"It's fine, she's his sister."

Satisfied, the mediwitch nodded. "He's doing very well actually, they both are, much better than I would expect." She frowned. "It's almost as though they are influencing each other's healing. He," she indicated Zechs, "seems to be taking his enhanced healing ability and applying it to both healings. They haven't woken up together because only one ability is genuine but I would guess that they'll both be awake properly within the next couple of days, if not less."

Heero ducked his head. "Perfect timing," he mused as he deliberately and loudly cocked the weapon Dorothy had gifted him with before she'd moved over to Treize's bedside. She was currently muttering something under her breath that seemed to be directed towards her cousin and was ignoring Relena and Heero entirely.

Relena frowned at him. "Shouldn't you be with the others?" She winced at realising how that sounded but knew that Heero wouldn't take any offence at her question.

Heero shook his head. "I'm not needed right now. Trowa has taken the Tallgeese for the moment and Quatre, Duo and Wufei can handle the Epyon alone." He shuddered. "Quite frankly I would be extremely happy never having to lay eyes on it again."

Dorothy shuddered too, finally halting her quiet monologue. "I don't blame you Heero. Who knew my cousin was an evil genius."

Heero eyed her. "He's not evil Dorothy. Trust me, I've seen evil and Treize is not it…" He paused to allow that to sink in and for Dorothy to look slightly guilty then he smiled. "Personally I've always though the label 'mad scientist' suited him more."

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

As it turned out Madam Pomfrey's predictions were correct. The next day Zechs woke up long enough to actually have some watery soup and Treize's eyes fluttered for the first time.

The pilots had long since decided that one of them should stay with the injured men at all times but it was just typical that he would be the one left when Treize finally deigned to grace them with his presence or at least Duo thought so anyway.

Typical for Heero, Wufei and Trowa to be off giving some of the Order a crash course in muggle weaponry leaving him to take this shift, considering that he was going to be teaching a class on explosives later that afternoon.

Quatre was supervising the house elves as they fed bits of the Epyon and Tallgeese through the fire. Even with the elves it was long and tedious work but Quatre seemed to get on with the elves better than the rest of them other than Heero.

Nevertheless though this had left Duo on his own with a disorientated General who thought Duo was trying to kill him. It was possible he didn't even remember the final battle. Zechs had remembered his threat against the Earth but not the landing at Hogwarts afterwards, who knew what Treize would know.

The General in question groaned and Duo pressed the button to call Madam Pomfrey trying to both keep an eye on the ginger haired man and not startle him at the same time. Heero would never forgive himself if anything should happen to his lover.

"Treize," he whispered softly as Poppy Pomfrey appeared in the doorway looking tired but alert. Instantly she stepped forwards and started checking vitals, her wand moving back and forth so quickly shooting forth multicoloured sparks that Duo doubted he could ever decipher.

Pale blue eyes cracked open minutely but they were wide enough for Duo to see the beginnings of panic in them as Treize registered his presence. He held up his hands in the surrender position. "It's okay," he whispered, still unsure as to why he was whispering in the first place. "I'm not trying to kill you, I promise." Important things first, after all.

Treize looked confused suddenly and Duo smiled tentatively but his eyes fluttered closed again and Duo nearly had a heart attack before Pomfrey was able to assure him that Treize had simply fallen asleep once more.

Trying to hide his sigh of relief Duo fixed her with a level stare, asking the same question Heero had asked every day since Zechs had first opened his eyes.

"Can they be moved?"

Her eyes flickered from his violet ones to the men and then back again. "Give them until tomorrow at least," she requested.

Duo turned back to the General after her departure. "Perfect timing Treize," he murmured. "By an astonishing coincidence tomorrow night's D-Day… so to speak"

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Heero had returned shortly to relieve him and had given the braided pilot a thankful nod as he ran his fingers through Treize's hair.

Duo eyed him curiously and turned to leave. "Duo…" Heero spoke suddenly. "I'll be leaving for a short time soon, I'll be back tonight."

Duo nodded sharply and left.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Despite it being nearly four am by the time Heero returned all of the pilots were awake to see him.

There was a long silence before Duo chanced the question he didn't even really need to finish. "Heero…?"

The Wing pilot nodded once and Duo closed his eyes, so they were on.

Glancing around at the others he could see the familiar spark shining in his eyes that he knew must be in his own and knew they were feeling the rush of relief that he was feeling. The relief that came from knowing that soon it would be over, one way or another and the adrenaline rush that accompanied it.

Really there was nothing else in the world quite like this feeling.

Quatre snapped his fingers and a few of the house elves appeared. "Hello Dobby."

Dobby smiled, a rather sedate grin considering his usual manic expression. "Master Draco!"

"We'll be leaving shortly, you know what to do."

Dobby nodded and then bowed deeply. When he raised his head Duo could see the tears dripping form the end of his nose. "Yes Master Draco, good luck."

With a crack he and the others had vanished.

Quatre turned to the other pilots. "Get some rest, long day tomorrow." With that he waved a hand and a double cot appeared. Not even bothering to change he clambered into it, Trowa following after a split second.

Exchanging glances with Duo, Wufei copied Quatre's actions and Heero curled up in his customary position, on a conjured cot between Treize and Zechs' beds.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

'This was the main part of war really,' Wufei mused as he surveyed the small room the next afternoon.

It wasn't honour and glory, cheering crowds, pitched battles and people waving banners. It was a few people saying goodbye, fully aware that they'd probably never see each other again.

As it was they hadn't quite gotten to the goodbyes yet but that wasn't the point.

Right now he, Duo and Trowa were facing professors Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape, waiting for Heero and Quatre.

Albus sucked in a breath as Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy walked out of the room. Aside from the flight suits they could easily have been the students he had watched grow up.

Draco turned to Harry and gave a cruel smirk. "Nice knowing you Gryffindork."

Harry glared back. "Slimy Slytherin!"

They both laughed, tiredly. "Christ we were young," Draco observed.

Albus stepped forwards, hand outstretched. "Hello Mister Potter, Mister Malfoy."

"Hello Professor Dumbledore."

"This is it, isn't it?" Minerva choked the words out and Severus looked at them both sharply.

Harry nodded and Severus stood. "In that case I think you have more goodbyes to say than to the people in this room."

Trowa threw a small bundle at him and opening it up Harry quickly pulled the robes over his head. For a split second Harry looked as though he might protest but then he gave Draco a small nod and he turned and left the room.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Quickly making his way off the grounds Harry apparated to the entrance of the Burrow. He knocked lightly, half hoping that no one would answer.

He was disappointed. No more than a second had passed before the cry of 'just a minute' reached his ears and a few moments after that the door was opened and a familiar, smiling face appeared.

"Harry, dear!" She sounded absolutely delighted to see him. "What on earth are you doing here? Ron said you'd gone away for training. Don't just stand there, come in. Do you want as cup of tea?"

Swept inside in a wave of kindness and hospitality Harry almost didn't even realise they'd reached the kitchen until he was being ushered into a chair and presented with a cup of something hot.

Slightly startled he realised he'd never really quite gotten used to the ultimate motherly presence that was Molly Weasley. In fact, he felt just as flustered now as he had the first time he'd met her. Just after they'd landed a flying car on her door step.

Despite himself he smiled at the memory as she offered him a plate of biscuits.

"Thank you," he murmured as he took one of biscuits and she beamed at him.

"Always so polite. It's no problem dear."

"No." He held up a hand to stop her. "Thank you, thank you for everything. Thank you for accepting me, thank you for taking me into your home. For…" he broke off, his voice thick. "Thank you."

Her eyes misted. "Harry."

"I'm sorry…" he whispered.

She pulled him into a hug that shocked him though he knew it shouldn't.

"Oh Harry." She gently stroked his hair. "This isn't right, children should be kept out of a war."

He remembered her reaction to meeting the pilots not so long ago and felt happier by the realisation that her aversion to children fighting did not just extend to those she didn't know were 'destined' to fight.

But he could see her preparing for an explosion and he spoke quickly to forestall her. "I agree completely but I'm not a child, I haven't been one for a long time." Her eyes blazed and he held up a hand. "No, listen to me. I'm not a child, I wish I was but I'm not… and neither are the people Albus brought to the meeting the other day."

That stopped the rant. "How do you know about that!" She sounded completely stunned.

Taking a chance and a deep breath he changed and she was left staring into cobalt blue eyes in place of emerald green ones.

"Harry?" she breathed. "What in Merlin's name…"

"They weren't children and neither am I, we're agents and we're going to stop him."

"You're a child."

"I am not a child," he hissed. "No one who has seen the things I have could ever be considered a child. I should have been a child but we both know there was never really a chance of that." He deflated suddenly. "Thank you for trying to give me something of a childhood.

"Mrs. Weasley… I just wanted to say thank you and that… I'm happy, really happy. I…" He breathed in. "I found someone, well, someone's actually and I'm fighting for them now. That's why I'm going to win."

Suddenly the sound of the front door opening reached them and Harry Potter was sitting in the chair once again.

Arthur Weasley walked into the room and Harry relaxed, holstering the weapon he'd drawn automatically.

"Harry, my boy!" He sounded confused but pleased. "Great to see you. What may I ask is that fascinating object?"

Harry smiled, some things never changed. "It's a gun Mr. Weasley though I think this is one muggle gadget you should stay well away from."

Arthur looked confused but nodded. "If you say so, what are you doing here?"

"I'm going for training sir, just here to say goodbye."

Arthur looked sad. "You're not the boy I took to the Quidditch World Cup anymore, are you?"

Harry shook his head. "No."

"What happened to you?"

Harry chuckled suddenly. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you sir… But never mind about that. I'm just here to say goodbye and thanks for everything. Love to… love to everyone. You're wonderful people, both of you and I'll never forget what you did for me, no matter what happens."

He kissed Molly Weasley on the cheek and shook Arthur's hand and was gone with a pop before they could say anything.

Molly's eyes lit. "We have to-"

"No." Arthur's hand on her arm stopped her. "Not this time."

There was pure fury on her face as she spun. "Arthur!"

"No! He's grown up, can't you see that? Whatever happens now our world is in his hands, that's what the prophecy says."

"But-"

"And," he continued pointedly. "I couldn't feel safer."

She sagged, leaning on the table for support. "He didn't even finish his tea…" And with that she started to cry.

Her husband hugged her tightly. "Good luck, Harry Potter," he whispered under his breath. "May Merlin defend you."

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Making his way towards the Gryffindor common room Harry was struck by just how bizarre the situation was. He couldn't even count how many times he'd made this journey and this was the last time… he couldn't help but feel a bit nostalgic.

Catching sight of Ron and Hermione sitting by the fire as he entered he shot pointed looks at the other students who quickly decided they had somewhere else they urgently needed to be.

Hermione looked up as he approached them and a number of emotions flitted across her face.

"Harry!"

Ron spun. "Harry mate?" The redhead was on his feet in a second and punched him in the arm lightly; lucky for him Harry had been expecting it. "Thought you were off doing your exclusive training."

His voice was hurt, Harry flinched. "Sorry about that. It's kind of a new thing. I've just come to say goodbye, before I leave I mean."

"We should be going with you!" Ron snapped. "We've been with you since the beginning, why should this be any different?"

Harry shook his head. "No one who doesn't need to be fighting should be fighting. It's not your job."

"It shouldn't be yours either." Hermione's voice was calm.

"I know but let's not kid ourselves."

She sighed. "But what are you going to do about your exams?"

He smiled, he couldn't help it, this is what he'd miss. Conversation with people his age who thought about things other than how difficult the last mission had been. But listening to it she just sounded childish, guess he couldn't have everything.

"I guess they'll work something out," he answered finally.

She fixed him with a piercing glare and then she was hugging him tightly. "You're hiding something, she whispered in his ear. "But I know you'd tell us if you could. Good luck with whatever it is."

He hugged her back, tightly. "Thank you Hermione."

He fumbled for something in a pocket suddenly and handed a note over. "Give this to Hagrid would you? I'd give it to him myself but just in case I don't see him…"

Hermione bit her lip but Ron nodded. "Will do, mate."

"Be careful," Hermione blurted.

"I will be," he promised. "You be careful too, it's been fun, just remember that the world's not black and white."

They both looked confused but nodded.

"How long have you got?" Hermione asked softly.

"Not long, I should be going really." He knew the time but checked his watch out of habit.

Hermione nodded. "Okay then, see you."

Ron grinned. "What she said. Any idea how long this training thing's gonna be on for anyway?" Harry shook his head. "Well, have fun then. Don't forget us," Ron joked."

"I could never forget you two." The words were completely sincere and something of that must have shown in his face as their faces grew more serious. He spun before he could say anything else.

He'd left letters with the elves that would get to them later, he only hoped they could forgive him.

He wouldn't want them to die hating him, they were a part of his childhood he could never get back but treasured all the same.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Everyone looked up as he re-entered the room.

Draco smiled at him before he turned back to the headmaster to continue their discussion and asked a question that had obviously been disturbing him for some time.

"Why did you never say anything?"

Albus looked confused. "Excuse me?"

Draco shook his head. "I know you knew. The headmaster is tied to Hogwarts herself. We were careful but there is no way you couldn't have known about us. Why didn't you say anything?"

Albus smiled slowly and sadly, his eyes sliding gently shut before opening again. "Oh my dear boy. It was simple. I trusted that you both knew what you were doing and I was right." Draco blinked, surprised. That wasn't the answer he'd been expecting. "And right now," Albus continued. "I want you both to know that no matter who you are or what you've done I've never been prouder of either of you."

Draco's mouth opened slightly as he sucked in air, stunned by the admission, he was saved by the arrival of Remus and Sirius.

Duo checked his watch. "Time?" Harry asked sharply.

"We should be leaving soon."

Sirius reacted suddenly, grabbing his godson and pulling him into a tight hug. Harry froze for a second before he buried his face in the fabric of Sirius' robes.

"So," he murmured as he eventually allowed Harry to pull away, "What's the plan then?"

"A raid," Harry answered after a few seconds of silence. "A time tested plan. Break in, set charges, wait for the explosions and then do what we came to do when they're distracted. Take advantage of the confusion to take out the Deatheaters and then go for Voldemort. We'll set up an anti-apparition ward to stop him simply disappearing and go in guns blazing." He gave a cold smile. "Literally."

Everyone was staring at them.

"That's the plan?" Remus gaped. "You're insane!"

Duo grinned manically. "I quite like it, easy to remember."

"You're trying to get yourselves killed!" Minerva shouted. "It's a suicide mission."

To everyone's surprise Duo burst out laughing. "Oh for God's sake don't tell him that! He'll go in, determined to prove you right, and come out alive and very annoyed." He paused. "On second thoughts tell him that as much as you want, everyone tell him that."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Oh come on! How many times has that happened?"

The other pilots exchanged glances.

"I've got seven," Duo offered.

"I've only got six," Wufei complained.

"You got jumping off the cliff?" Duo asked.

"Yes."

"Arrival at earth?" Trowa offered.

Wufei shot him a withering glance. "Of course."

"How about-"

"Okay!" Harry shouted. "I get it."

"Are you even scared?" Sirius asked, horrified.

"Of course he's scared." Draco snorted. "He's insane remember, not stupid."

Remus blushed. "I don't mean-"

"Nah," Duo interrupted. "Don't bother, you were right. No one could go through what we have and still be completely right in the head. We've got a good balance now though, it works for us."

"How do you even know where the base is?" Severus asked softly.

Draco smiled at him. "Thanks to you actually. Using the information you gave us we managed to narrow his hideout down to a few locations and Trowa did a sweep in the Tallgeese a few days ago after we'd updated the cloaking technology slightly. He found it and we kept an eye on it, they're still there. Or they should be anyway."

Harry turned to them suddenly. "You do know you don't have to do this, right? This isn't your war."

All four pilots stared at him.

"Tell me," Duo pleaded after a moment. "That he didn't just say that."

"Sorry Duo," Wufei answered. "But he did."

"Oh for crying out loud!" Duo exploded. "You're right, this isn't our war but you're nuts if you think that's why we're here. We're not loyal to the wizarding world you idiot! Not even Q's loyal to it and he grew up here, it screwed him over too you remember. But you were sent to us for a reason _Harry_ and we're loyal to you. We fight for you at _your_ side. Besides," he calmed down fairly quickly. "Where would you be without us there to watch your back?"

"Let us come too," Sirius asked. Harry shook his head without hesitation.

"No, I know them, I know how they'll react, how they fight, how they move. I don't know you, I don't know any of you. It'll be the five of us against the enemy, just like it's always been."

"I like those odds," Wufei grinned fiercely.

A thoughtful look came over Duo's face. "You wouldn't, by any chance, be a betting man headmaster?"

"Duo!"

"Sorry, sorry," he grumbled. "Just asking!"

Sirius still didn't look happy. "Harry…"

"Sirius… just make sure Treize and Zechs are ready to leave. No matter what happens, alright?"

"But-"

"No. No matter what happens to us I want them home tonight." He hesitated. "And I want you two to go with them."

They froze. "What?" Remus whispered in disbelief.

"If something happens to us which is highly likely then someone needs to explain it to them. What have you either of you got here other than each other?"

"But-"

"Sirius, no matter what happens people will still look at you as Sirius Black, _the_ Sirius Black. Even if they believe you didn't betray my parents or serve Voldemort you're still a Black.

Sirius looked shocked. "How did you…?"

Harry waved a hand dismissively. "It wasn't that difficult to find out. But even if they can see past that you'll still be a man who spent twelve years in Azkaban, they'll think you're insane and by all rights Sirius you really should be."

He turned to Remus as Sirius reeled from receiving such a pointed assessment of his life from his godson. "And Remus, you're a werewolf. No magic in the future means no transformation, ever again. Look, you don't have to decide now but think about it, okay?

"If you do decide to agree though, make sure you're ready to go. The house elves are clearing our rooms and our possessions are being collected in the great hall. Sally will be arriving soon with any magical items that belong in this time. Thank you by the way Headmaster for declaring it off limits.

Albus, who had been quiet for the majority of the conversation, recognising the fruitlessness of words in a situation that was already decided. "It was the least I could do Harry, the very least."

Harry checked his watch. "Right then, time to get ready. Oh, and just so you know, I'm killing Voldemort and anyone else we come across. You get to deal with the rest. We've given the Order some training in muggle weapons, that should give you the advantage of surprise. You'll manage."

Albus nodded. "Good luck, Mister Potter."

Harry shook his head. "I was made for war Professor, I won't need it."

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

"Okay," Duo decided. "The cliché villainness of this place is really making me miss the classic Ozzie bases. Seriously, who has dungeons these days?"

"Just set the charges," a terse voice ordered through the radio.

"Jesus 04, stressed much? You know what you get when you turn 'stressed' around? 'Desserts', we'll get you some chocolate when we get home, you'll be fine."

"02…"

"They're set, they're set. Honestly, I am a professional you know."

"02 please," Harry's voice came over now. "I know it was easy to get in but I daresay they weren't expecting people to parachute in. Let's not let our guard down just because people arriving in a plane flown by magic hadn't crossed their minds."

Duo rolled his eyes, "I have infiltrated bases before you know."

"I know, but this is different, just keep quiet, okay?"

Yeah, yeah."

"Two minutes to get to the hall," Wufei's voice came through suddenly, "I suggest you get moving."

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Harry arrived first and he was left with a few seconds to muse how, when he'd been dreaming of killing Voldemort when he was younger, he'd never really imagined this. Then again, not imagining breaking into the base with four terrorists and surprising the Deatheaters with explosives while he took out Voldemort using the weapons he knew best probably wasn't that surprising.

You would think he would know better having lived so much of his life in the muggle world but he'd fallen into the same trap the wizards had. Not even considering contemplating that every problem didn't have to have a magical solution.

What he'd always thought about was more along the lines of a battlefield that looked like something out of Lord of the Rings. Both sides facing off and then charging at each other.

He'd been living in a fantasy world, there was no way this war was ever going to be fought on an honourable battlefield.

He felt a presence at his shoulder and sheer familiarity told him that it was Trowa.

An invisible arm reached out and gripped his shoulder, the green eyed pilot didn't say anything, he didn't have to.

Duo was not so quiet.

The cloaking devices that they were wearing, modelled on Deathscythe's shield and then boosted with magic, disguised radio communications too. Apparently the braided pilot was more than willing to take full advantage of it.

"01, 04 and I are rounding the corner."

"Acknowledged 02, 03 and I are already in place. Any word on 05?"

"Coming down adjacent corridor now 01, ETA is fifteen seconds."

"Acknowledged 05, approximated time till explosion is 45 seconds."

Those last few seconds were the worst and when Duo began to whisper "five, four…" It was almost a relief.

They all flinched in anticipation, no one else on the base was as fortunate.

The screams started a second after the bombs had gone off and bits of the base started to collapse.

Someone shouted something near to where they were and they all froze until the voice was cut off sickeningly.

Silently the pilots counted as the doors opened and several Deatheaters rushed past them then moved forwards as one.

The four Deatheaters who had been left to guard Voldemort were quickly taken out, tiny pieces of metal being so much harder to avoid than the beams of green light that the Deatheaters favoured.

Voldemort's eyes widened and he stood up quickly.

Harry pushed the door shut with his foot and stepped forwards, removing the shield as he did so. "Apparition won't work Tom."

As Voldemort turned Harry noticed Pettigrew disappear under a cloaking device and he smiled in approval.

"Potter!"

"Hello Tom."

If possible the grip Voldemort had on his wand tightened even further but other than that he didn't react.

"How did you get in, my base is sealed from all forms of detection and apparition?"

Harry smirked slightly. "I flew through the air with the greatest of ease," he responded sardonically.

Voldemort smiled, it wasn't a pleasant expression. It was cold and not completely dissimilar to the one Harry was wearing.

"You're alone?"

Harry frowned. "What do you mean 'alone'?"

"I mean without any ministry agents, without your Gryffindor's, without your precious Dumbledore and without even your godfather."

"Then yes, I'm alone."

Voldemort was growing more confident now, "So that's what this is, a last ditch attempt. Finally broke didn't you, did you even tell anyone that you were coming?"

Harry was silent.

Voldemort chuckled. "I thought not."

'Come on,' Harry prayed silently. 'Come on, hurry up!'

"Shall we finish this then Potter, have this over and done with once and for all? Just the two of us."

Harry nodded, still waiting. "Okay."

Voldemort shook his head mockingly. "Such a foolish Gryffindor, well, you'll be wish your parents soon. They thought they could stand against me too but even they were not as stupid as you. I have over fifty years of experience in the Dark Arts and more years of study. What do you have?"

There was a burst of static in his ear and Harry had to wonder for a split second if they'd simply been waiting for the most dramatic moment. He fired before he could assess that thought in any greater detail though.

Voldemort fell backwards, the superior smile still on his face.

Harry stepped forwards and fired again, the bullets slamming into the skull of the creature that had once been human. Blood, bone and membrane splattered the floor.

"That," he answered the question as he picked up Voldemort's wand and snapped it, watching as the Phoenix feather fell to the ground and a shrill note was heard.

Voldemort's personal shield spell had failed, just like he knew it would. Who would have thought that, just like magic could halt electrical energy, electrical energy in large enough amounts could disrupt a magical flow?"

The trick had been keeping him distracted enough that he wouldn't notice.

That hadn't been too difficult though, the spell only lasted a second. Working in tandem with the other four pilots Duo had performed the spell and sent him the warning a millisecond before Harry had fired. That had left enough time to let the bullet travel and enough time to allow the electricity in the air to dissipate so the other three could perform the spell to trap the essence of Voldemort's magic that had allowed him to survive the last time he'd been 'killed'.

From the look of the angry red glowing substance in the vial in Quatre's hands as he removed his shield they'd succeeded. Pettigrew was curled at Quatre's feet, unconscious.

There was a loud crack from above suddenly and they all looked up. It seemed that their second's disruption of the only thing holding this decrepit building together had been too much for it. A large chunk of the ceiling fell, narrowly missing Wufei's foot.

Duo dodged a falling piece of wall and Trowa vaulted as part of the floor sank. They exchanged glances and apparated away, the ward having been removed as their disruption had taken hold.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Walking back to Hogwarts from Hogsmeade it was Trowa, surprisingly, that said it, "was it me or was that extremely anti-climactic?"

Heero snorted. "You're telling me. Five years of my life have been building up to that!"

"He deserved to die just for the cliché's though," Duo muttered. "I half expected him to say 'Harry, I am your father'."

Quatre smacked him smartly on the arm and Wufei rolled his eyes, slinging an arm around the other boy's shoulders as he did so.

The movement caused Pettigrew, who was floating along beside them cloaked and unconscious, to crash into a nearby tree but no one minded particularly and the rest of the journey was made in silence.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

They didn't meet anyone on their way to the Great Hall, it seemed Albus had kept his word about sealing it. They slipped inside and Wufei let the cloak surrounding Pettigrew drop, allowing him to plummet to the floor as he did so.

Sirius and Remus looked up at the thud. Sally barely spared them a glance, preoccupied with her patients.

Zechs was sitting up, Treize was sleeping peacefully.

"Heero?" The blonde sounded confused. "What's going on?"

Heero's eyes darted. "Why don't we discuss this at home?"

"Excellent idea!" Duo proclaimed. "Just a little unfinished business first… Sirius, Remus."

Heero propelled the fat, balding, little man forwards to land at the two men's feet.

"I believe he is more yours to kill than mine."

The two men didn't look at each other, didn't need to and the certainty of their actions reminded Heero of the way he would act with the other pilots. They just stepped forwards, wands raised.

The timing was perfect. Pettigrew opened his eyes just in time to see his two former friends step forwards and speak the two words that would bring his end in unison. "Avada Kedavra."

The green beams him together and he was dead instantly.

"Right then." Duo nodded. "Now that's done, are you coming with us or not?"

Now they were looking at each other.

"Yes," Sirius responded finally. "But not because there's nothing for us here. Because you're in the future."

Heero looked stunned and, after a quick glance at him it was Quatre that spoke.

"Are you sure? We won't be coming back you know. We can't afford to have anyone doing this for the wrong reasons."

"Merlin," Sirius mumbled. "First they're trying to convince us and now they want rid of us. Yes, we're both sure. Besides…" He tiled his head towards Treize and Zechs, the latter of whom was looking rather alarmed at being involved. "I think we'd both like a chat with these two gentlemen."

Quatre's remark had directed Remus' attention to his hand though. "What's that?" The werewolf nodded at the glowing vial.

"Voldemort," was the quick answer.

Both Marauders drew back in horror.

"It's okay," Heero reassured them quickly. "He's existing in a purely magical form. As soon as we reach the future he'll disappear. Completely obliterated." He looked worried suddenly. "It was explained to you what you'd be giving up, right?"

"Yes," Remus assured him hurriedly. "I imagine it will be different but life's all about new experiences."

"Do you have everything you want to bring?" Trowa asked.

"All our valuables went through earlier when the last of your possessions were being shipped. You're not the only ones who have been busy. Not that we can top killing Voldemort but still…"

Duo nodded. "Right then." He turned to the others. "Let us depart this building and time."

He and Wufei were the first through the fire, Sally closely following them with Treize. Zechs paused as Heero made to go through with him and placed at hand on the younger pilot's shoulder for a second.

The message was clear, 'you have unfinished business here. Don't worry, I'll see you soon.'

Remus and Sirius were next, they glanced around before grinning at each other.

"After you Mister Padfoot." Remus bowed slightly.

Sirius pranced forwards gracefully. "Why thank you Mister Moony."

Trowa shot a look as Quatre before he took stepped into the flames, calling out his destination.

Quatre shot a glance at Heero. "You got your will in order?" Heero nodded. Quatre looked around one last time. "You gonna miss it."

Heero surveyed the room too. Considering what the wizarding world had done for him. Considering what it had done to him. He could see the place where he'd first sat immediately after being sorted and the place he'd sat the last morning before a teenage terrorist from the future had been downloaded into his brain.

"Yeah," he admitted finally. "But I'll miss it less when I'm gone and I won't miss it enough to want to stay."

Quatre gave a tired smile as he stepped forwards. I know how you feel."

As he vanished Heero was left alone. Gently he touched a hand to the stone wall. "Goodbye," he whispered softly and then he straightened, walking into the flames without hesitation.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Five minutes later Albus Dumbledore tested the door to the Great Hall, when it opened he knew they were gone.

He stepped forwards and froze as he caught sight of Pettigrew's body.

Perhaps this wouldn't be the correct place to have the press conference after all.

He whispered instructions quickly to Minerva McGonagall and a few minutes later and the assorted members of the press and ministry who had arrived for Albus' announcement were being led away to one of the offices.

They would be told that Voldemort had been defeated once and for all by Harry Potter, who had given his life in the struggle, and by Draco Malfoy, who had stood at his side until the very end only to die there.

It wasn't even a lie. Harry Potter was dead, that's why Heero had fought with his face one last time. After that battle it was over, one way or another.

The lit fire caught his eye and he paused as he turned to leave.

"Good luck, Heero Yuy." He whispered softly to a boy eight hundred years away.

And with that he shot a spell at the fireplace, sealing it permanently, breaking the link between their times. From this end anyway. Just in case he was ever tempted.

Finished, he left to address the press and ministry leaving the ashes sparkling in the dying embers of the fire.

End

AN I know the fight scene was quite short but in order for their plan to work it wasn't possible to make it longer, or at least I couldn't work out a way. The entire basis of the plan depended on them being able to finish quickly and before he noticed.

I hope the scene with the Weasley's was realistic but when I was writing it I kept thinking about the fact that they've been conditioned since Voldemort was killed the first time to think of Harry Potter as their saviour. To see him as the one who's going to save them this time won't be too much of a stretch, especially if Albus has told they that it's destined.

Besides that they probably honestly think he's coming back, as far as they know he's just off for training, the same with Ron and Hermione.

Hope you enjoyed it.


End file.
